the 'IT' girl
by nyllemnev
Summary: taken from ch.1: He will never understand this girl, he would never even DARE to TRY. She had made his gradeschool days a nightmare, starting to make his highschool days a hell. For such a very smart girl, she surely is very slow in getting the hint.... j
1. The girl who makes me wanna

**the '_IT_' girl**

bynyllemnev

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine… That's enough, isn't it? ;p

**Chapter 1: **_The Girl who makes me wanna…_

He felt another crumpled paper hit him on the back of his head and he frowned. Turning to the whistling girl seated behind him, he spoke, "What?"

The girl blinked at him, "Huh?" she tilted her head, looking obviously innocent but Kenshin knew it better. Taking a huge calming sigh, he turned away from her to listen to what his teacher has been going on and on. Another piece of crumpled paper fell on his desk – a miss.

"What do YOU want?" he finally snapped, which is a rare thing for a very patient person like Kenshin, to do. The girl only gave him the same look of innocence, which only made the redhead more frustrated. _What is it that she wants?_

"Is there anything that you would like to share to the class, Mr. Himura?" the teacher's voice brought Kenshin back to reality. Sinking lower on his seat, he bowed his head in embarrassment as the class exploded in laughter.

"Nice going, shrimphead!" the girl behind him snorted aloud, which only made Kenshin grew more annoyed.

For years, that is what Kenshin always gets from the same girl. That girl, he would never understand that girl – he would never even dare to TRY. She had made his grade school days a nightmare, starting to make his high school days a hell. He had tried to be nice to her – to be civil. But for such a very _smart_ girl, she sure is pretty slow ingetting the hint.

Kenshin spent the whole period, trying to concentrate more on his teacher's lesson and trying his best to ignore the annoying girl seated behind him. When the bell finally rang, the redhead sighed in relief.

"Hey, man!" Sagara Sanosuke, Kenshin's best friend, tapped him on his shoulder when the teacher finally left. "Come on."

"Yeah." the redhead nodded as he placed his notebook on his bag. He went out of the room with his friend.

"Outta my way!"

Before he knew it, Kenshin was pushed rather harshly to the sides as Kamiya Kaoru – the girl throwing crumpled paper at Kenshin's head, walked through the hallway. Sano helped his friend back to his feet, chuckling a little.

"Man… you alright?"

"I will NEVER EVER understand THAT girl!" Kenshin hissed under his breath, watching Kaoru disappear through the crowd with narrowed eyes.

"Well… Girls are never easy to understand…" Sano shrugged. "…and Kamiya is a very _special_ case."

"_Very special, _indeed."

Sano chuckled again, "Nah… forget Kamiya and let's go eat. I'm starving…" he rubbed his stomach and Kenshin sighed.

"Yeah…"

The cafeteria was crowded with students of Mikan High and was as noisy as ever. Clatters of spoons and forks were heard everywhere, plus the voices of several students talking to each other. Kenshin and Sano grabbed a pizza and some soda before occupying a vacant table by the far end of the cafeteria.

"So, have ya finished workin' on that project we need to do for 'Guchi?" Sano asked, taking a bite of his pizza.

"What?" Kenshin frowned at his friend. "What project?"

"Nah… didn't you know?" Sano gave his friend a frown. "What Yamaguchi told us yesterday? That book report or somethin'?" then the spiky-haired man clapped his hands hard, "Yeah, I remember! You were in detention with Kamiya that time! Hehe! Sorry… forgot to tell 'ya…"

Kenshin frowned again. Speaking of Kamiya, he could see her approaching, "Oh, brother."

"Hi there, shrimpy!" Kaoru gave him a sarcastic smile as she sank on the seat across Kenshin and Sano. The two males only frowned at her. "What?" she raised an eyebrow, as if daring them to speak.

"Er…" Kenshin started to speak while Sano was trying not to laugh.

"Want me to leave?" Kaoru said coolly, "Pity, though, there's no vacant table left." she looked around the place before turning back to the redhead. "Anyway, it's a free country, I can sit wherever I want to, eh?"

"Who'd want to sit with you!" Sano muttered under his breath.

"I heard that, rooster boy!" Kaoru smiled coldly at Sano who glared at her. He hated it when somebody called him that.

"Ooh, sorry 'bout that, _mean princess_." he mocked a bow, which Kaoru completely ignored.

"So, you got anything more to say, shrimp boy?" Kaoru's icy blue eyes fell on Kenshin. The redhead only shook his head and answered as politely as he could.

"I didn't say that, that I did not."

"Hmph!" Kaoru snorted aloud. "Puh-lease! Do you think I'm so stupid, _de gozaru yo_?" she stressed the last part sarcastically. Kenshin chose to be silent. He doesn't want another scene, anyway. He was relieved that the girl seemed to get his point this time and started to eat.

"Ken-san! Ohohoho! And there's rooster baby too! Ohohoho!" the signature laughter was enough to tell Kenshin that Takani Megumi has arrived to join their table. He sighed.

"Megumi-dono." Kenshin gave her a little smile while Sano scowled at her.

"Didn't I tell you to stop callin' me that, foxy?"

"Sorry… can't resist… Ohoho!" Megumi said as she sat beside Sano. "You had another row with that _girl_?" she turned to Kenshin. She seemed to be oblivious to the fact that that _girl_ is sitting right across her. "I should've seen it! Must be more interesting than our _boring_ student org meeting…"

"Did you, Himura-san?"

Kenshin had just noticed the girl beside Megumi and he blushed to the roots of his hair. He managed a smile as he stared at the girl. Sano had to elbow the redhead on his ribs to bring him back to reality.

"Er… hello Misao-dono." Kenshin managed to say.

"We should've seen it really!" Megumi sank on the seat beside Sano, Misao – to Kenshin's mild disappointment, sat beside her. "And they say you actually SNAPPED at that _girl_."

"Ehem…"

Only then did Megumi finally realize that the _girl_ she was talking about was seated right across her. "Oohhh… I see… We have company."

"So nice of you to actually notice that, _princess_?" Kaoru said, staring coldly at Megumi.

"So sorry for being _ever so _RUDE." Megumi answered Kaoru's stare with her own cold one. Kenshin and Sano exchanged worried glances. The last thing they wanted was a catfight between the two.

"Er… Megumi-dono… Kaoru-dono… er…" Kenshin feigned a cough and Megumi instantly turned to him.

"Man… That was scary…" Sano muttered only for Kenshin to hear.

"Yeah." Kenshin nodded. That surely is scary. _Girls are scary!_

"I lost my appetite!" Kaoru spit out the words, pushing her almost half-touched meal aside. "_Ja! _(See you)" she stood up and walked away.

Kenshin watched her disappear through the crowd while Megumi loudly commented, "At last she left."

The redhead turned to his friend with a frown. He would never understand Megumi's great dislike – no, it's beyond it – for Kamiya. Surely, Kaoru's mean, call people names, throw spitballs at him, but… it's just…

Like Sano said, girls are never easy to understand… 

"So care to tell me what happened now?" Megumi said to them and Sano happily obliged – adding some things that Kenshin never remembered doing.

"Oh… wow! I should've seen her when you snapped at her!" Megumi smiled but Misao seemed to be not so happy about the matter.

"Yeah… she was taken aback." Sano chuckled. "Everyone was! It's not everyday Mr. I'll-tolerate-you-because-you're-a-girl snapped! Haha!"

Now that he heard it, Kenshin actually felt bad for snapping at Kaoru like that. It's just not good – she's still a girl after all, even if she's… well, _her_.

"Himura snapped?" Misao frowned. "Why?"

"Because it-girl's being it-girl!" Sano answered before Kenshin could respond. The redhead only frowned at him.

"Yeah, I know it's not good." Kenshin sighed. "She's still a girl. I shouldn't have talked to her like that."

"A _girl _like that deserves it." Megumi said, an undeniable hatred – why? Kenshin could not explain – was shining in her eyes. "I learned about that a very young age."

Kenshin, Misao and Sano exchanged confused glances. Then Sano whispered for only Kenshin to hear, _Maybe it's because it-princess' being nasty at you and all._ But the redhead cannot understand the logic.

XXX

Classes went on quite perfectly (Kaoru spending half of her time throwing stuff at Kenshin's head and hissing his _favorite _nickname every now and then). The bell rang not too long after, signifying the end of another school day.

"Move!"

Kenshin was – yet again – pushed harshly to the sides as Kaoru stormed past him. He frowned and watched her go while rubbing his arm. Beside him, Megumi was watching her too with a frown on her face.

"She is just so mean." Misao shook her head before turning at Kenshin, "You alright?"

"Yeah…" Kenshin stared dazedly at her. Sano and Megumi both snickered.

"Let's go home." Sano announced loudly. Kenshin looked up to find him already up ahead with Megumi.

"Guess they left us all alone again, eh?" Misao said to no one in particular, heaving a small sigh. "I will never understand the two of them…"

_Yeah…_ Kenshin stood stupidly beside her. When Misao turned to give him an odd look, he lets out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, let's go."

"They're just so cute together, aren't they?" Misao said with a smile as she watch Sano and Megumi talking – or rather, bickering about something again. She giggled a little before adding, "Even if they're bickering, ne?"

"Yeah." Kenshin nodded as he watched her watched them. "_Cute_."

She giggled again when she turned to find Kenshin staring at her. The redhead felt his face grow hot, "You're _weird_."

"Gomen (Sorry)…" Kenshin scratched the back of his head. _Think of something to say, stupid!_

"How the meeting's gone?" why it always have to sound so stupid now that it's already out of his mouth is beyond Kenshin.

Misao sighed dreamily, her smile reaching her eyes, "Aoshi-sama is just ever so good." she started and Kenshin felt his face pale, as the girl beside him started to go on and on about a certain _Student Org. Vice President_.

"…he is so cool… the way he handled himself, the way he talks…" Misao sighed dreamily again, "Oh… Aoshi-sama…"

"Oy! Faster, you two, will ya?" Sano's voice cut Misao's roll of _Oh-Aoshi-sama_ speeches and Kenshin sighed in relief. The last thing he wanted was Misao babbling about her '_ever so beloved Aoshi-sama'_.

The group chatted all the way home and before they knew it…

"Here's our stop!" Sano smirked as he, Megumi and Misao turned to a block after waving goodbye at their redheaded friend. Kenshin sighed, putting his hands on his pockets as he walked straight ahead. He frowned when he found none other than Kamiya Kaoru walking not too far from him. Kenshin bowed his head low and took smaller steps – the last thing he wanted was her noticing that he was behind her. _Wishful thinking!_

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?"

Kenshin looked up to find Kaoru standing in front of him, her hands on her hips and an eyebrow raised. "Hi… Kaoru-dono…" he didn't want to make it sound bad, but well… it's already done.

Kaoru wore an unreadable expression on her face as she stared at him long and hard before finally turning away to start walking again, "Hi yourself, shrimpy!"

Kenshin stood behind her and watched her go for some time. Finally shrugging, he continued walking, "Going home?" he said, trying to catch up with her. Trying to start some conversation to kill some time. _She's still his classmate, after all._

"So bright of you to figure that out, Einstein!" came Kaoru's usually sarcastic reply.

"Haha… yeah…" Kenshin chuckled lamely. For some time they walked in silence, Kenshin feel more and more awkward every passing second. _Why does she have to be so cold and sarcastic and –_

"Are you following me?" she stopped walking and Kenshin almost bumped into her. Kaoru turned to stare at him coldly.

"Oro?" Kenshin blinked. "But I was just taking the same route home as you do, de gozaru." he answered as politely as possible.

"You're stop's there." she pointed behind Kenshin. The redhead turned and found his face grow hot in embarrassment. He had walked past his house!

"Baka! (Idiot)" he heard her spoke out loud and the sound of her footsteps told him that she had gone away.

_Yeah… Idiot, huh? _Kenshin turned to watch her go. Shrugging, he walked back to his house.

To be continued… 

A/N: Hello everybody! I'm back again… and yes, I'm still alive… :) I know, I know, I should be updating my other stories and so… it's just that I just need to get this story out of my mind or I'll go crazy (talk about being exaggerated… hehe). 'Nyway, hope you enjoyed this fic… if you want me to post the next chapter, convince me with your reviews (hehe… I've already finished typing up to chapter 8… hehe). :)

'Til then. See 'ya next chapter:)


	2. Two and a Half hours of 'Hell?

**the '_IT_' girl**

bynyllemnev

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine… That's enough, isn't it? ;p

**Chapter 2: **_Two and a Half Hour of 'Hell'?_

"JERKS!"

Sano and Kenshin both turned to look at the source of the voice. Not too far from them was Kaoru, marching toward a group of nasty-looking seniors standing by the stairway.

"You JERKS!" she pointed an accusing finger at them, particularly to the biggest man in their group (which seemed to be the leader, by the looks of it).

"What?" the man stood straight, looking down at the smaller girl. "You got a problem 'bout something?" he asked coolly, smirking at his snickering _minions_.

"Yeah…" Kaoru said firmly, her eyes blazing with fire. "My problem is YOU!"

The man seemed to be taken aback. Who wouldn't? It's not everyday a girl (not a very well-built man or whatever – a GIRL!) talk back to none other than Mikan High's biggest bully.

"I don't understand." the bully seemed to be finding it harder to control his laughter. "What did I do?"

"The fact that you exist?" Kaoru said coolly, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. The man laughed with his minions.

"Did you hear that, guys? HAHA!" the man turned back at Kaoru, "A girl… HAHA… I… HAHA!"

"What's so funny, dork?" she said, narrowing her eyes. "Why laughing? 'Coz as far as I know, there's nothing funny!" she gaped at him in annoyance to find that the man was not paying attention to her. "I'm TALKING here!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

"Fine!" Kaoru frowned, "You asked for it!" and slammed her fist on the laughing man's face. He blinked in shock at the smirking girl in front of him.

"Wha-?"

"Now… it seems that I finally got your attention, eh?" she crossed her arms again. "Willing to listen now?"

But the man doesn't seem to be anything but that. From the looks of it, he was already fuming. "That's IT!" the man grabbed Kaoru easily by the collar of her school uniform. "You're –"

Kenshin didn't know how, what or when – the next thing he knew, he was standing here, his hand grasping the fist of the school's biggest ever bully to stop him from hitting this _girl_. "Oro?" he blinked as he gave the bully a look of pure innocence and confusion. _ORO? How did I end up here?_

"Another idiot?" the bully threw a glance at his minions who nodded at him. Kenshin gulped as a group of two or three students started lifting their fists at him. _I'm dead._

"Teachers!" one student yelled and the bullies instantly dropped Kenshin. In a blink on an eye, before Kenshin even had the time to react, they were all gone and –

XXX

"How did I end up in here?" Kenshin couldn't help but to say.

"This'll teach you a lesson…" the girl beside him answered coolly, he turned to find her staring blankly at the wall in front of her. "…next time, you mind your own business, shrimpy!"

Kenshin gaped at her. He could not believe her! She's the reason why he's here in detention with her!

"Stupid shrimpy!" she continued. "I could've handled everything myself! But no—you had to jump in and ruin everything!"

"Ruin everything?" Kenshin snapped at her. "Handled everything? You could've hurt yourself if I hadn't…"

"A little black eye wouldn't kill me!" Kaoru finally turned to him, her eyes blazing with fiery rage. "What do you care, anyway shrimphead!"

Kenshin gaped wordlessly at her. He frowned and turned to stare at the wall in front of them, trying to calm himself, _Breath, Kenshin, breath…_

"Stupid." he heard her mutter under her breath as she leaned back on her chair and sighed.

"Why did you go to him like that, anyway?" He's going to stay with her for more two hours anyway, some conversation wouldn't hurt, or would it…

"…"

"I mean… don't wanna be nosy or whatever… it's just that…"

"Do me a favor, Himura." Kaoru turned to him, smiling at him coldly, "SHUT UP!" she spit out at him before turning to look away. Kenshin closed his eyes to control his anger.

"Fine!" Kenshin said to no one in particular.

They stayed quiet for a couple more of minutes before Kaoru spoke again, "Why are you so quiet?"

Kenshin turned to gape at her. She just told him to shut up and now, "Didn't you—"

"I told you to shut up on asking me about that jerk!" Kaoru turned to him, her icy blue eyes boring on him.

"Oh…" he closed his mouth and shrugged. "Okay."

"Good." she said, smiling a little – the first REAL smile that he had seen on her. Kaoru looked away and leaned back on her seat, "Then talk."

"What?" Kenshin frowned, _This girl is SOO unpredictable._

"T-A-L-K… Talk… not to difficult to understand, huh?" Kaoru said in her usual sarcastic voice, "Or should I translate it to another language understandable by the likes of you?" she turned to him, "Pity though, I only know human language, if you know what I mean…"

Kenshin gave her a frown. How he wanted to answer back but – well, at least she's starting to drop the _'shrimphead'_ part eh?

"Come on now, shrimpy!"

'_Wishful thinking!' _Kenshin sighed. "What to talk about?"

"Anything. You think."

The redhead stared at her, _Great, I think. _"Er… What school?"

"Can't you think of something more _interesting_? More _lively, _perhaps?" she said with a threatening tone on her voice.

_You think of a topic then!_ How Kenshin would like to answer that but he shook his head and he tried, "Love?"

"Wanna die?"

"Hehe, just kidding!"

"Let's talk about you." Kaoru said as if that settles the matter.

He can't say 'no' now, can he? Taking another sigh, Kenshin spoke again, "What about me?"

"Anything… your hobbies, what you like, what you don't like… everything!"

Kenshin blinked, why would she want to talk about him. "Okay. I like kendo, I also like basketball – though, I'm not so good…"

"Yeah… basketball, eh, shorty!" Kaoru chuckled a little. Kenshin gave her a frown. "And kendo… whooo!"

Kenshin fought the urge to answer back. "How 'bout you?"

"This, you want?" she lifted a fist and Kenshin lets a nervous chuckle.

"Just joking." he waved a hand in defeat. "Just trying."

"Hmp!" she turned to look away but, _was it just him or was she really smiling._

"You're smiling…" he sighed, as he stared at her. She turned and gave him a confused look. "I've never seen you smile like that before."

"Yeah right, goof boy!" Kaoru snorted, the sarcastic air was back again, "Whatever you say!"

Kenshin only shook his head and leaned back on his seat. _Must be my imagination – yeah, it is an imagination._

XXX

"You alright, Kenshin?"

Kenshin met up with Misao, Sano and Megumi by the hallway at the end of the period. He walked towards them, smirking, "I'm just fine."

"Mou! Whatever entered your mind to step into a fight like that!" Megumi stared at him in disbelief. "You're never the war-freak! That's Sano's role, eh?'

"Hey! I'm not war freak!" Sano glared at her but she only smiled at Kenshin in a matter-of-factly way. "Fine! I'm war freak! I'm everything bad!"

Megumi shook her head and the four of them began walking. However, before Kenshin could take another step, somebody had pushed him rather harshly forward.

"You're blocking MY way, SHRIMPHEAD!" Kaoru's cold voice reached his ears. Sano helped him up watching the raven-haired girl walked away with narrowed eyes.

"Man… your two and a half hour must be hell." his spiky haired friend said in a almost regretful tone.

_It must be really an imagination… _Kenshin frowned, watching Kaoru push a pair of freshmen students aside as she walked -- both gave her an enraged look.

To be continued… 


	3. Unexpected Meeting

**the '_IT_' girl**

bynyllemnev

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine… That's enough, isn't it? ;p

**Chapter 3: **_Unexpected Meeting_

It was a Saturday and basically, a 'no-school-day'. But for Kenshin, it is worse than an ordinary school day. He stayed all day in his room trying to finish the book report for Yamaguchi that he's should be passing on Monday (Megumi having just informed him yesterday on the phone, Sano completely forgot to tell him when it's due).

"GIVE IT BACK!"

"GET IT IF YOU WANT!"

Kenshin looked up from his book and papers towards his opened door. He went to close the window with a bang, "Can't they keep it down?" he sighed, rubbing his temples as he went back to his papers.

"HAHA! YOU'RE TOO SLOW!"

'_The neighbors should really teach their children how to keep it down.'_ Kenshin frowned. The children playing outside made another shouted again from the outside. The redhead could only stare coldly at the wall in front of him in frustration. "Fine! I'm outta here!" he gathered his things and grabbed a coat before stepping out of his room.

"Where are you going?" his father called as he went downstairs.

"Out." Kenshin replied as he put his shoes on. "Some place where I can get some work done."

"I'M GONNA GET YOU NOW!" a little girl run past Kenshin, chasing her friend not too far away. The redhead only sighed. He wish he could be a child again, so carefree, _all they think is play and play._

"Gotta go!" he shrugged and walked, heading towards the public library. The only 'quiet' place he knew.

XXX

Kenshin took the vacant seat on the far end of the library. He scattered his things on the table and began working and reading for hours. When at last he had finished his report, he stretched and leaned back on his chair.

"Four o'clock!" he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. "Gah! I've spent what – three hours on this project! Man!" he turned his head to his left and he did a double take.

There, standing by a shelf, not too far from him, was Kamiya Kaoru – skimming through a very thick book. Something about her seemed a little different – or maybe it was the fact that her hair was tied neatly in a high ponytail (her hair was always disheveled in school), or the fact that she wasn't actually scowling at anyone (there's actually a small smile playing on her lips as she read), or maybe just the fact that—_I don't know_… Kenshin sighed, she sure can be pretty (she's really popular with the boys in school, really) but that doesn't change her from being the mean girl who had bugged on him everyday at school.

_Or was there something more to her that meets the eye? _Kenshin wondered and picked the nearest book to him and hid his face as she began to walk. When he lowered his book in search of her, Kenshin found her pushing the doors open to go out. Quickly, he gathered his things and followed her.

"I'm not a stalker or anything… I'm just curious." he muttered to himself as he turned to examine some flowers when she turned to look at his direction. Kenshin risked another glance at her and found her walking again.

For about fifteen minutes or so, Kenshin followed Kaoru like some stalker or something. Some people were starting to give him odd looks as he jumped behind a post when Kaoru turned and walked across the street. After some time, the girl finally stopped walking by the park and went to sit in one of the benches. Kenshin sat on a bench behind hers, his book raised up to hide his face.

"I know you're there, so why don't you just shut it and leave me alone." Kaoru's cold voice was enough to send shivers down Kenshin's skin. He lowered his book and turned to see Kaoru frowning at him. Feigning a look of innocence, he spoke, "Oro? K-Kaoru-dono? What a coincidence! I never knew you're there that I never, de gozaru yo." his could feel some cold sweat forming on his face as she continued to watch him coldly.

"You're a terrible liar, have I told you that?" Kaoru said, her eyes narrowed at him and Kenshin could do nothing but to laugh nervously.

"Sano always told me that… Hehe…"

"Fine!" Kaoru rolled her eyes and went back to what she is reading. "Then don't bug me!"

Look who's talking! She's the one always bugging on me in school and now she had the nerve to tell him off!

Gathering his things he went to sit beside her. She doesn't seem to mind for she continued reading and Kenshin was relieved at that. "What's that you're reading?"

"Obviously a book." came her quick reply.

Kenshin closed his eyes in frustration. When was it that he had a decent conversation with this girl anyway? He should learn from experience not to even try. The redhead shrugged and decided to just read a book to kill some time. He doesn't want to go back home since his father might make him do all the house chores again. _I don't feel like working today!_

"Why are you following me back then?" her voice reached his ears in an instant and he turned to look at her. She was still reading from the looks of it but he knew she's waiting for an answer – a _good _answer.

Kenshin gulped as he searched his brain for an answer – after some time, he said something (that he knew, would meant his death), "Oro?"

Kaoru looked up from her book and turned to give him a frown, "_Oro_?" she repeated what he had just said. "Oh… _nice_ one, huh?" she raised an eyebrow, "That's very… _original…"_

Kenshin laughed nervously at that. He honestly doesn't know what to say anyway. Kaoru continued, however, "Fine! I will not ask you!" she turned back to her book. The redhead continued to read but after some time of doing so, the words and letters on his book was starting to make him feel bored. He risked a glance at the reading girl beside him and back to his book, _'Man… this sucks…'._

A soft feminine giggle from the girl seated beside him surely caught Kenshin's attention. Risking another glance at Kaoru, the redhead was surprise to find her smiling again, her usually cold blue eyes was shining with – what's this – glee? Kenshin rubbed his eyes and blinked – and it seemed as if the spell was gone.

Kaoru looked up from her book and stared right ahead of her at something coldly. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before slamming her book shut and standing up.

"Eh? Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin watched her walked towards a group of giggling teenagers and some old men not too far from their bench. The redhead could only guess what was coming.

"Oy!" Kaoru said in a cold voice as finally stood in front of them. "Are you trying to pick them up?" she added pointedly to the old men. The group exchanged confused looks before turning back to Kaoru.

"What are you saying, my child?" one of the men said in a maddening kindness as if talking to a three-year-old girl.

"I guess your brain's gone out with your hair, _baldy_?" Kaoru replied, eyeing the man's balding hair. The man's face reddened in embarrassment before giving Kaoru an annoyed stare.

"What do you want young lady?" he asked.

"I want to know why you're picking this high schoolers up?"

"Why don't you mind your own business?" one of the girls asked in annoyance and Kaoru turned to her.

"You're still high school! Show me your ID!"

"Who are YOU?"

Kenshin had to close his eyes and to raise his book higher to hide his face from everyone. _Man, can't she just let them be? Why is she always bugging on some other people's lives?_

"DIRTY OLD MAN!" he heard Kaoru's voice and when he looked up, he found her walking towards him while the group was walking away and muttering something under their breaths.

"Catch!" Kaoru threw a small bag on Kenshin and he reacted just in time to catch it. She turned to walk away and he could just watch her wordlessly.

"What are you waiting for?" the girl turned to give him a frown. "Come on!"

Kenshin gaped at her, then stared at her bag. _I'm not doing what I think I am doing, huh?_

"SHRIMPHEAD!"

Kenshin sighed and followed her, frowning at her. "Where are we going, de gozaru?" he asked.

"I'm hungry!" Kaoru replied. "Let's get something to eat."

Kenshin frowned and watched her as she walked ahead of him. _Fine, I'm hungry too, anyway._

They entered some restaurant called 'The Akabeko'. Kaoru seemed to be a regular customer here because the owner greeted her and ushered her to an _especially reserved_ table.

"You order." Kaoru said, throwing the menu at Kenshin rather curtly. The redhead sighed again and skimmed the menu.

"I guess I'll have some steak and…"

"Do you want this?" Kenshin found himself staring at Kaoru's fist waving in front of his face. He frowned as she hastily took the menu from him and handed it to the waitress.

"We'll have the usual," she said to the waitress who nodded and left.

Kenshin gaped at her, '_Why tell me to order if you're going to do it yourself? Man… this is so weird!'_

They waited for sometime before the waitress went back with their dish. She prepared some hot steaming ramen noodles and a cup of tea. "Have a nice night, Ms. Kamiya."

"Sure do Tsubame-chan." Kaoru said nodding at the waitress who left. "Itadakimasu!" she said before picking her chopsticks up and starting to eat. Kenshin shrugged and began eating too.

The two finished their meal in silence. Kaoru took a sip of her tea before turning to Kenshin, "You pay, anyway."

Kenshin almost choked. _What?_

"Got a problem with that shrimpy?"

Kenshin stared gaping at her as she threw him the chit. He frowned and stared down at it. _'This much?'_ He carefully drew his wallet out of his pants pocket and then stared back at the chit.

"I don't have much money, de gozaru yo…" he spoke and Kaoru frowned at him.

"You take a girl to a fancy restaurant and you don't have the money?" she said as if that settled the matter. Kenshin could not believe it! _This girl is SOOO gonna get it!_

"Mind as well pay!" Kaoru sighed, "Where's my bag?" she gave him a flat look and Kenshin handed her, her bag. "How much?"

"This." Kenshin handed her the chit and Kaoru looked at it coolly. She got some money from her wallet and called a waitress.

"Keep the change." Kaoru said and the waitress bowed at her. Turning to Kenshin, Kaoru said, "You owe me one, shrimpy."

'_What have I done to deserve this?' _Kenshin silently prayed when he looked up, he found Kaoru standing up. The redhead sighed and made a move to follow her when she turned to give him an odd look.

"Are you going to the ladies room too?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow before smirking sarcastically, "Mind you… you'll pass for a girl, anyway…"

Kenshin glared at her. Just what is it that she meant by that? Just because his hair is long and he wore it in a ponytail meant that he looked girly or whatever – does he?

Kaoru giggled as she walked away, "You better wait for me there or I'll kill you – skin you alive!" and Kenshin could do nothing but to watch her go.

"_Honestly!_" and he shrugged, "I guess I don't have a choice now, do I?" he sighed and leaned back on his chair.

"Kenshin?"

The redhead almost jumped ten feet from his seat as someone – a very _familiar _someone – called him from behind. Feeling the blood rush in his head, he turned and mustered to smile at the person behind him.

"Misao-dono… hehe…" he laughed stupidly. _'Why do I have to act so stupid whenever in front of her?'_

"Wow… I was so surprised to find you here, huh?" she smiled and went to join him in his table.

_Me too… _Kenshin continued to grin sheepishly at her, "So…" he mentally frowned, searching for a good topic to talk about, "Whatcha doing here?" the moment the words came out of his mouth, Kenshin wished the lightning would strike him alive. _That sounds lame… She went here to eat, obviously!_

"You're so funny, Himura!" Misao giggled. "So… you alone here or something?"

"Er…" Kenshin said nervously, looking past Misao's shoulder to see if Kaoru's coming. To his relief, no sign of the _girl_. "I'm alone… yeah! I'm alone… hehe…"

"Oh… cool." Misao smiled again. "So what do you say we watch a movie together? I know a good movie."

_She's asking me on a DATE?_ Kenshin felt like floating in air. Taking a deep sigh, he smiled and mustered to reply. "Er… Sure. That sounds fun."

"Great!" Misao nodded her head. "Then let's go." she added before standing up.

Kenshin threw another glance at where Kaoru has just gone, _'This is your chance now… don't let some little-miss-bully mess it out now!'_

"Is there something wrong?" Misao's voice made Kenshin turn to find her already starting to leave.

"No!" Kenshin smirked as he followed her, _Not at all._

Together, the two left, unaware of a pair of ocean blue eyes watching them from afar.

_**To be continued…**_

A/N: Yeah, I know… Kaoru's a little… mean (is that the right word?), but there is a reason behind her actions (every character's actions). Anyway, I'll see you next chapter. Hope you liked this chapter (please tell me what you think :) ). Til next chapter:)


	4. A 'date' to remember

**the '_IT_' girl**

bynyllemnev

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine… That's enough, isn't it? ;p

Chapter 4: _A 'date' to 'remember'…_

Kenshin watched Misao talk and talk as they walk to the movie house dazedly. _It's like a dream come true… _he sighed as they turned to a corner.

For years Kenshin had liked Misao – since sixth grade to be exact. He never told anybody of course, though Sano seemed to know it (_I know you enough man!_) and Megumi throwing hints that she kind-of figure it out (_It's kind of obvious the way you stare at her, honestly_), a couple more of students in their school – it seemed that only Misao was too slow to figure it out.

"Here's YOUR ticket, sir!" the girl in the ticket booth said in an annoyed voice. Kenshin hastily pushed some money on her hand before turning to find Misao giggling at him. _Man, must've spaced out again! Great! Just Great!_

"Let's get some popcorn first!" Misao pulled him to a small popcorn booth before entering the movie house. They occupied some vacant seat near the front row. For some reason, Misao seemed to be looking time-by-time to the entrance doors.

_Not that it matter, eh? _Kenshin smirked as he leaned comfortably on his seat. He actually didn't have any idea what they were watching. Kenshin was far too distracted watching Misao talk to even care. When the movie finally started, he was surprised to find that it's not some _silly _girl flick (he thought Misao liked that stuff) but some revolutionary movie or something that would make their history teacher cry in joy. _What the hell is this? _he frowned and found Misao still looking at the entrance doors.

"Er… Misao-dono?"

The girl only seemed to notice him there, "Huh?"

"The movie is starting that it is."

"Oh!" she nodded and turned to the screen, as if only realizing that the movie has already begun. Kenshin sighed and turned his eyes on the huge movie screen too. _Who thought a very energetic, cheerful, and outgoing girl like Misao liked this kind of movies?_

After five minute or so, the movie started to bore Kenshin. He sighed and sighed again, glancing at his watch. Taking to throw a quick glance at Misao, he found her as uninterested in the film as he was. '_That's strange… she asked me to go here with her but…'_ he sighed and let the matter drop.

I wonder how's Kamiya doing? She must be really mad now… I can only imagine what's Monday like…

XXX

"Er… Misao-dono?" Kenshin turned to the girl beside him. She seemed to be searching something as they walked out of the moviehouse (the movie having just finished without Kenshin even understanding the story or whatever).

"Huh?" Misao blinked at him then lets out a nervous giggle. "Yeah… hehe… great movie, huh… hehe…"

"He he…" Kenshin frowned, "So… I guess… let's go?"

"Sure!" Misao nodded, her smile never reaching her eyes.

"Is there something wrong?" Kenshin finally asked as they took the route to Misao's house. "You seemed not so interested in the movie, de gozaru."

Misao sighed, "You noticed, huh?" she sighed again and looked down.

"Is there something wrong?" Kenshin waited for the girl to answer, but she seemed unwilling to do so. Taking another sigh, the redhead said again, "It's okay… you can tell it to me if you want to… I'm willing to listen."

"I'm sorry, Kenshin." Misao finally spoke. "Actually, I don't have any idea what that movie is all about." she sighed. "I just heard Aoshi would go watch that movie, so I thought that maybe when I go there I might see him and bump into him or something like that and to talk to him or whatever…" she babbled on and on which made Kenshin sigh.

_Shinomori Aoshi_. He would never understand what Misao sees in him but he knew that she liked him – no, LOVED him. The thought still bugged him. What is it about that man that Kenshin didn't have? Maybe the guy's tall, smart or whatever but –

"I'm really sorry." Misao sighed.

"That's quite… _understandable…_" Kenshin sighed too. Looking up, he realized that they're in front of Misao's house. "I guess this is your stop, ne?"

"Yeah…" Misao nodded, biting her lower lip as she pushed her gate open.

"I guess I'll see you on Monday, then." Kenshin sighed before turning to leave, he had taken two or three steps when Misao's voice halted him.

"Thanks!" she smiled at him. "Thanks for everything, Kenshin."

"Sure…" Kenshin looked down, finding it harder than ever to return her smile. "_Anytime._" he turned to walk away, the weight in his stomach starting to feel heavier and heavier.

_Some date to remember, huh? _He thought as he made his way home. _Some date to remember…_

_**To be continued…**_


	5. The Aftermath

**the '_IT_' girl**

bynyllemnev

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine… The story is, so please don't steal... hehe...;p

**Chapter 5: **_The Aftermath_

Sano gave his friend a regretful look after hearing how Kenshin's _date _turned out to be. He patted his shoulder awkwardly making Kenshin turn to look at him oddly.

"This is what they do when somebody's not feeling okay, isn't it?" the spiky haired man said almost skeptically.

Kenshin only sighed at his friend's feeble attempt to cheer him up. "Nah… I'm alright…" he sighed again.

"Come on… Let's go play some basketball!" Sano said with a smirk. "That's what I always do whenever I'm feeling bad or whatever."

Kenshin agreed. He doesn't have anything to do, anyway – he had already finished his book report and come on, it's Sunday! At least have some fun. So, the two friends went to a basketball court near their place.

"So how're things going between you and Megumi-dono?" Kenshin asked as he passed the ball to Sano.

"What?" Sano turned to the redhead after making a lay-up. "Why do you keep asking me about her! There's nothing going on between the two of us!"

Kenshin laughed. Sano definitely was as terrible as himself when it comes to lying. "Fine!" he said as the redhead caught the ball and made a shot – a miss. "Whatever you say Sano, whatever you say…"

"Man… I'll never understand you…" Sano shook his head as he passed the ball back to Kenshin. The redhead made another shot – miss again!

A feminine laugh sounded from the sidelines. Kenshin and Sano turned to look – to gape at no other than Kamiya Kaoru standing there. The redhead gulped – seeing her now, he just remembered that he had left her all alone in that restaurant last night. _I'm so DEAD!_

"Nice try, Himura!" Kaoru walked towards them, a very cold smile on her face. "So, you really play basketball then. _What a very good player you are._" she bit the last sentence out sarcastically.

"Boys only, Kamiya!" Sano said, rolling his eyes. Kaoru turned to him, the cold smile disappearing from her face.

"This is a free country, Sagara." she said coolly. "I can do whatever I want. And if I want to play, you can't make me leave."

"You can't play in that!" Sano pointed at Kaoru's pale blue dress. She's even wearing high-heeled shoes, Kenshin only noticed.

"So?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow after looking down at herself.

"Er… you don't want to ruin that dress, Kaoru-dono?"

"I did not ask for YOUR opinion, shrimphead!" Kaoru turned to him, the same cold look was back on her face. _She must be angry about last night—Who wouldn't?_

"Fine!" Sano waved a hand in defeat. "Be it! But I'm not playing with an amateur!"

Kaoru narrowed her eyes at Sano but she said nothing. She watched as Sano went to sit by the sideline lazily with her icy blue eyes. "So… let's play!" she turned to Kenshin coldly (again). She made a move to take her shoes off.

"Oro?" Kenshin blinked as he watch her walk to place her shoes by the sidelines. "Me? Play?"

"Got it, geek boy!" Kaoru turned to him. "So, got the ball… let's play!"

Kenshin opened his mouth to reason out with her but before he could utter a single word, she had stolen the ball from him. He blinked, as he watched her shoot the ball – ringless!

"Man!" Sano yelled in annoyance. "Don't let her steal that ball from you, Kenshin!"

Kenshin turned back to Kaoru in time to realize that she had thrown the ball back at him but too late to, "Ouch!" he rubbed his nose, to make sure that it was not bleeding. The ball just smacked him right on his face. Sano was at his side in an instant.

"That's a foul!" the spiky-haired man glared at Kaoru.

"Not my fault he wasn't looking!" Kaoru said coolly.

"You alright?" Sano helped Kenshin back on his feet. The redhead frowned at the girl smirking behind Sano.

"Stop whining, Himura, and stand up!" Kaoru said loudly. Kenshin gave her another frown.

"Don't go easy on her, pal." Sano said before going back to the sidelines.

For hours Kenshin felt almost all kinds of body pain! Kaoru kept throwing the ball roughly at him every single chance she got, elbowing him hard on his stomach, or even pulling his long ponytail from behind. _This is the worst basketball game, EVER!_

It doesn't help that Sano kept yelling by the sidelines and Kaoru laughing everytime she got him off-guard to cool Kenshin's temper as it began to boil.

"THAT'S IT!" Kenshin snapped as Kaoru pulled his hair again. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"WANT?" Kaoru turned to him, her eyes blazing with an unmistakable anger. "I WANT SOME PAYBACK!"

"Huh?" Sano has gone to Kenshin's side after the redhead had snapped. "What?"

"HOW DARE YOU?" Kaoru said, she was actually shaking. "I really REALLY really HATE you!" she pointed at Kenshin before running to get her shoes, "I HATE everything about YOU!" she said without turning to him before run away.

Kenshin frowned. He knew it perfectly that she hated him – made it obvious everyday in school – but he had never ever seen her like that. It's as if she's… she's…

"Don't mind her." Sano said beside him. "Some basketball game, huh?"

'_She must be really angry about last night…' _he couldn't help but feel bad. "Maybe I should just go and apologize to her." Kenshin voiced his thoughts out absentmindedly.

"What?" Sano gave him a frown. "It's her fault. You don't need to always apologize to her about nothing!"

Kenshin heaved a small sigh before making a move to follow Kaoru, completely ignoring Sano.

"Fine! I never exist!" Sano said aloud as he watched Kenshin go with a frown.

XXX

_She can surely run so fast, can't she?_ Kenshin looked around for any sign of a ponytail or a pale blue dress. _For a girl wearing high heels, she sure is fast!_

He sighed, walking to a nearby bench. He had been running for almost half an hour now but he failed to find her. _At least I tried, eh?_

"Oi… Kenshin…" Sano seemed to follow him. "There, you are." he panted as he joined Kenshin in the bench.

"Hey." Kenshin turned to his friend. "You followed, huh? I thought you don't want me apologizing to her."

"Well, you might need back up… if you know what I mean…"

Kenshin laughed at that. Sano continued, "Did you find her?"

"Nah…" Kenshin shook his head. "She's a fast-runner."

Sano snorted, "Yeah… she is."

"You know, I've met up with her yesterday in the library." Kenshin said, watching the people walked past them. "When I finished my book report, I looked around the place and I saw her there."

"Then she went to you and harassed you again?"

"No… actually she doesn't seem to notice that I was there." Kenshin shook his head a little. "I was curious what could she be up to or whatever… so I followed her when she went out of the library."

"You followed her?" Sano's eyes almost went out of its sockets. He turned to him and an obvious hint of amusement was shining in his eyes. "That's very DARING of you, man."

"Yeah." Kenshin laughed. "She seemed to finally become aware of me following her later on."

"What did she do?"

"Nothing, the usual stuff… but no body pain." Kenshin added and Sano laughed. "Then we went to this restaurant – or rather, she made me go with her. Then, we ordered some food and she went to the ladies room…" he sighed, "That's when Misao came…"

"So… you're saying… you…"

"I left with Misao, obviously." Kenshin sighed. "That must be why she seemed to be very angry at me – angrier than usual, that is."

"Now I understand…" Sano nodded.

"Now that I think of it, my _date_ (if you can call that a date, that is) with Misao doesn't seem to went on pretty well and I felt bad for leaving Kaoru just like that. I should've just left a note or something." Kenshin looked down, "Or maybe I shouldn't have just left her at all."

"But you really wanted to go with…"

"But she never really wanted to go with me, ne?" Kenshin said glumly. "She only wanted to see _Aoshi-sama_, isn't she?"

"Man…" Sano said, he seemed to be loss for words.

"I mean, what is it about him?" Kenshin sighed turned to Sano.

"I don't know." Sano said quickly. "How the heck can I know what's going on that 'weasel's' head."

"Don't call her a '_weasel_'."

"Fine!" Sano sighed. "What do wanna do about it?"

"I don't know." Kenshin shook his head. "I wish I know if she liked me too. What she thought about me or something."

"But she liked the…"

"…but the Iceman never liked her." _or does he?_

"Who knows what going on his head? Maybe he's just hiding what he really felt for her." Sano shrugged. Kenshin narrowed his eyes on him. He hated it when Sano got a point. The taller man continued, "Just suggesting! Don't need to feel bad about it."

"She's just too blinded with her childish crush on him, that's why she'll never see anyone—"

"Yourself, you mean?"

"Yeah!"

"What do you want to do?" Sano frowned. "Make her jealous or something?"

Kenshin turned to him with a frown, then after sometime, he said, "Sano… you're a _genius!_"

Sano blinked at him. "I am?"

"Yeah!" Kenshin nodded. "That's what we're going to do—"

"Wait… wait… wait!" Sano said, frowning, "Have I just heard you say 'we'?"

"Yes?"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Fine!" Kenshin said, "I'll tell Megumi-dono…" he started but Sano clasped a hand on Kenshin's mouth to stop him from saying any further.

"Blackmail, huh?" the taller man raised an eyebrow.

"That's what friends are for, eh?" Kenshin said suggestively.

"So what are we going to do?" Sano rolled his eyes.

"I guess we'll find a girl." Kenshin shrugged.

"A girl who wouldn't end up falling for you and you won't end up falling for." Sano added and the redhead nodded. "But who?"

"Er…" _now's for the difficult part…_ "How 'bout Megumi-dono?"

"Do you want this?" Sano raised a fist.

"Just kidding." Kenshin laughed. "Yumi-dono?"

"Too matured." Sano said. "You think or someone our age or better in our class."

"Er… Sakura-dono?"

"She's got a crush on you, buddy!"

"She has?"

"Gah! Everyone knew it!" Sano rolled his eyes. "How 'bout Makoto?"

"Sano! She's a head taller than me!" Kenshin frowned. "I'll be dead meat before Misao can even notice me!"

"It's difficult to think of someone!" Sano glared at Kenshin. "Someone pretty, smart and popular…"

"I guess that's just right."

"Hmm…" Sano thought for a moment and Kenshin watch him with a hint of amusement in his amethyst eyes. (It's not everyday you see Sano think that hard, he mused). Then as if a light bulb came lighting on top of his head, Sano clapped his hand.

"I know the perfect person…" he smirked and Kenshin waited for him to continue, "Someone who's pretty, smart, popular and won't fall for you and you won't end up falling for…"

"Who?"

Sano turned to Kenshin with a wicked grin on his face.

"The 'it' girl…"

_**To be continued…**_


	6. Phase One: Action!

**the '_IT_' girl**

bynyllemnev

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine… That's enough, isn't it? ;p

**Chapter 6: **_Phase One: Action!_

Kamiya Kaoru was sitting all alone by the shades of a huge tree near the school's soccer field when Kenshin finally found her.

"This is it…" he muttered under his breath before taking some steps towards her. "Er… Kaoru-dono…" he spoke when he was finally standing near enough for her to hear him.

"What?" she said, her eyes boring on him. Kenshin took a deep breath and sat on the space beside her. "What are you doing?" she asked with a frown.

"Er…" Kenshin turned to give her the sweetest smile that he could muster. Sano told him that: _no girl in her right mind would say 'no' to you after that._ "Hi!" he added.

Kaoru continued to frown at him and Kenshin was starting to feel nervous. _I knew this wasn't a very good idea. I shouldn't have agreed to Sano about this._

"Hi yourself!" she said coldly before standing up and walking away. Kenshin had to jog to catch up with her.

"I'm sorry about last Saturday." Kenshin said as he followed her. "I didn't mean to…"

"Is that all?" Kaoru turned to him, there was something shining in her eyes that Kenshin could not read.

"Er…"

In an instant her eyes shone with an undeniable annoyance. "Fine!" Kaoru turned her back to him, ""You said it now… leave me alone!"

"Why do you have to be so cold?" Kenshin said and now that the words had came out of his mouth, he wished he never said it. He looked up and saw Kaoru staring at him with the same unreadable expression in her eyes.

"Not that you care, shrimp boy." she said unblinkingly. "Not that you care." she repeated before walking away.

Kenshin watch her go with a frown. He will never understand this girl. _Things I do to get Misao's attention…_ he sighed as he tried to follow her.

XXX

Kenshin spent the whole morning trying to initiate some conversation with a very not-so-cooperative Kaoru. By late afternoon, the redhead was feeling the last of his temper as Kaoru brushed him off again, rather rudely, after he tried to help her carry her things.

"How's it going?" Sano asked and Kenshin threw him a look that told him to 'shut up'. The taller man seemed to have gotten the point easily.

"What's up?" Megumi and Misao had joined Sano and Kenshin as they walked out of their classroom for the cafeteria. Sano shrugged while Kenshin remained silent.

"Did that _girl_ do something again?" he could hear Megumi whisper to Sano.

"Something wrong, Kenshin?" Misao asked and Kenshin shook his head mutely as he scanned the whole cafeteria for any signs of Kaoru. "Huh?" the girl blinked in shock. Kenshin never ignored her like that before.

"Something wrong about him?" she turned instead to Megumi who shrugged.

"Must be something he ate." the taller girl only said. Sano remained silent, afraid that he might slip.

_Where is she? _Kenshin frowned, searching every corner of the cafeteria. _Why is it that she never turns out when you're looking for her?_

"I can't believe the whole lot of works their giving us today!" Sano started his usual _homework complaints_.

"You're just too lazy, rooster baby!" Megumi replied in her usual calm voice.

"Don't call me that!"

"Sorry… but don't you like it?" Megumi smiled. "Misao thought it's kind of cute, ne?"

"Er… right…" Misao blinked before smiling at them.

"I hate that nickname, foxy!"

"Mou! I hate that nickname too!"

"Here they go again…" Misao sighed. She turned and found Kenshin searching for something in the cafeteria. "Is there something that you're looking for?"

"Kaoru." Kenshin said flatly and Misao frowned. Megumi and Sano were far too busy at the moment to even care.

"Kamiya?" Misao repeated questioningly and Kenshin blinked, finally turning to her.

"Oro?" Kenshin felt himself blushing at his slip.

"You're looking for Kamiya?"

Kenshin lets a nervous laugh, "Er… I have to… er… give her… uhm… her book report!" he laughed again. "She left it outside earlier. I just want to give it to her."

"Oh…" Misao nodded her head but she continued to look at Kenshin skeptically.

"Yeah!" Kenshin stood up, surprising even Sano and Megumi. "So… I'll better go and look for her, okay?" and he left.

"What was that for?" Megumi turned to Misao who shrugged.

XXX

"That was close." Kenshin sighed as he finally stepped out of the cafeteria. "Now where can she be?" he turned to look around. Outside the window, he could see Kaoru walking there.

"Don't let her out of your sight now, Kenshin." the redhead said to himself as he went out to follow her.

Kenshin found Kaoru seated by the shadows of the same tree. She seemed to be reading something that she never noticed him approaching. "Er…" he feigned a cough and she looked up to him in annoyance.

"Kaoru-dono… I was just wondering if I can join you…"

"No." she answered flatly and Kenshin had to sigh.

"Why?"

"Because I say so."

Using her usual answer to him, Kenshin spoke, "But this is a free country, huh? I can sit wherever I want to." he added innocently. Kaoru narrowed her eyes at him.

"Are you trying to mock me?" she said in that same cold voice. Kenshin shrugged and sat down beside her. For some time they sat in silence before Kaoru spoke again, "I have the feeling you need something from me. Just spill it out and leave me alone."

"Why do you want to be always alone?" Kenshin asked, he was really curious.

"Simple…" Kaoru said coolly, her blue eyes on him, "I-WANT-IT! Got it?"

"But why?"

"You don't care, that's why!" Kaoru glared at him. "Now if you're finished you can leave me in alone!" she turned back to her book.

Kenshin watch her silently as she read, or pretend to read. He could notice her throwing quick glances at him whenever she thought he was not looking and from the looks of it – she was _nervous_. He had never seen her nervous before. Kamiya Kaoru is nothing but a nervous person!

"You seemed to love reading very much." Kenshin noted.

"You seemed to love nosing about other people's life that much." Kaoru said without looking.

_Look who's talking. _Kenshin chuckled aloud and Kaoru frowned at him before speaking, "What's so funny? Care to tell me?"

"Nothing." Kenshin shrugged.

"Oh brother!" Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Fine! You sit there in silence and let me do my reading in peace!" she turned back to her book.

"Okay, fair enough…" Kenshin shrugged. They sat in silence until the school bell rang. Kaoru gathered her things as she stood up and walked towards the school building without uttering a single word to Kenshin. The redhead hurriedly followed her and offered to carry her things but she completely ignored him. He sighed as he just watched her disappear through the crowd.

"She's one tough kid, isn't she?" he sighed as he went to his classroom.

XXX

Time flies fast and before Kenshin knew it another school day had ended. He was hurriedly putting his things on his bag when somebody tapped him on his shoulder.

"Hey." Misao smiled at him. "Where were you at lunch? We didn't see you anywhere."

"Er…" Kenshin smiled back. "Out."

"Where?"

"Near the soccerfield… er… I watched them practice… hehe…" he lets a nervous chuckle. He couldn't tell her that he's with Kaoru, could he?

"I never thought they had practice today."

"They have!" Kenshin said quickly and Misao only nodded at him and gave him an odd look.

"Whatever you say Kenshin." she only shook her head. "Come on."

"Yeah." Kenshin nodded and followed her. He was by the doorway when someone pushed him out again. Kenshin looked up to see Kaoru standing by the doorway with a very cold look on her face.

"You're blocking MY way, Himura!" she said, eyeing him with her icy blue eyes.

"There's a tragedy!" Megumi said sarcastically from behind and Kaoru turned. "You don't own the DOORWAY, do you?"

"Sorry _princess_!" Kaoru made a mocked bow before storming away. Kenshin could've sworn he saw her glare at him.

"Beh!" Megumi made something very uncharacteristically her and stuck her tongue out at Kaoru. Sano chuckled at her loudly, which earned him a bump on his head (courtesy of the fox lady).

"Hey!" Sano grumbled as he followed Megumi.

"I'll never understand Kamiya." Misao sighed beside Kenshin. "I don't know why she has it hard for you."

"Me too." Kenshin nodded as he watched Kaoru go. He turned to Misao quickly and said in an urgent, "I have something to do. I'll just see you later." and he rushed passed the bickering Megumi and Sano to follow a certain _girl_.

"What was that for?" Megumi asked a very shocked Misao.

"I don't know… I really don't."

'_If you only knew._' Sano thought, knowing all too well what Kenshin was up to.

XXX

Kenshin found Kaoru walking up ahead, her shoulders unusually slumped. He jogged as he tried to catch up with her. "Kaoru-dono!" he called but she didn't even stop to look at him. She continued walking.

"Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin walked in front of her, blocking her way. She gave him the death glare of the century as she waited for him to explain. "Er… can I walk with you?"

"The road's not mine, anyway." Kaoru rolled her eyes, "The _princess_ having just informed me."

"I'm sorry for Megumi-dono." Kenshin sighed as he walked beside her.

"Don't be." Kaoru said in a monotone. "I don't need it."

Kenshin watch her walk silently beside him. She looked unusually down today, he noticed – which is very unlike her. "Er… is there something wrong? You seemed to be… er…"

"What do you care, anyway?" she turned to him and he was surprise to find a glint of sadness in her eyes. "Nobody cares!"

Kenshin stood staring at her wordlessly. He had never seen her like this before – never seen her close to…

"Go home, Himura! That's your stop!" she sighed and walked ahead of him. True to her words, he was in front of his house.

He watched her go uneasily. Kenshin couldn't help but feel pity for the girl. _She's just a girl… after all… just a girl…_

**_To be continued…_**

A/N: Hello, I'm here again:) I hope you like this chapter (please tell me through your reviews.) Til then:)

A/N2: My story 'Picture Perfect' has been nominated in the Rurouni Kenshin Reader's Choice Awards (RKRC). Vote for me… ;p hehe ;p… the link is rkrc meijitales com, then go to the voting section, choose one-shot category, then my story **– 'Picture Perfect'.** Thank you:)


	7. Limits

**the 'IT' girl**

**by: nyllemnev**

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine…

**Chapter 7: **Limits

Kenshin was already up at exactly five o'clock in the morning, looking grumpy and highly annoyed at the tiniest noise in the street; and his uncle – the ever proud Seijurou Hiko, thirteenth master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu – was the only person to blame.

'_Why not just buy your darned sake yourself! Why have to disturb me in my sleep and make me do it!'_ he angrily thought as he walked down the almost deserted street, kicking some small stones in the process, "And honestly! Drinking 'sake' in this time of the morning!" he blurted out loud, frowning as he noted that the nearest store was still closed.

"This is stupid…" he growled and began walking to the next store. "It's his fault, anyway! He shouldn't have emptied his last jug last night!"

To Kenshin's great dismay, the second – and also the third, was still close. The next store was probably a kilometer away and his feet were starting to kill him. _'Damn uncle!'_ he cursed mentally, which is very uncharacteristic for him.

It took him another twenty minutes, and probably a hundred mouthfuls of curses before he finally reached a store. As he waited for his purchase, he stared out the glass windows of the store and watched as the nearby shops started to open as well.

"Quite early for a drink, don't you think, young man?" the shop owner said, handing Kenshin his purchase.

"My uncle is not normal, that he isn't." Kenshin shrugged and gave the kind owner a smile before walking out of the store. He took a quick glance at his wristwatch and found that it is still _'5:50'_. He shook his head and started to make his way back home – maybe if he gets home faster, he could still take a quick nap.

As he walk, he noted a black sedan parked nearby and a man dressed in black suit standing at its side – looking like he was standing guard or something. Kenshin chuckled at the thought, _'Who would he be guarding? The King of the world?'_

He walked past a nearby shop, turning to watch the people inside through the huge glass wall when he heard the distinct sound of chiming bells, indicating that someone has either come in or out of the said store. The redhead only shrugged and continued walking when…

"Come back again, Ms. Kamiya…"

_Ms. – what!_

"Yeah…" he heard the distinctive voice of a certain someone and instinctively jumped behind the nearest post. Peering closely from behind the post, he gulped.

Standing by the doorway of the said shop was none other than Kamiya Kaoru – already dressed in her school uniform and was holding several bags of whatever-it-is-inside. She walked with great difficulty, trying not to drop anything or to trip over something in the process.

Kenshin debated whether to help the girl or not – helping her would only meant quite an earful plus a bump on his head if he is lucky and yet…

_Mean or not, she's still my classmate after all…_

Taking a huge gulp of breath, he stepped out of his hiding place; ready to help a certain girl but someone beat him to it. The man standing beside the sedan he has just noticed earlier was now hurrying towards Kaoru, offering a hand.

"Let me get that, Lady –" he spoke with great formality.

Kenshin heard Kaoru whisper something but couldn't get something intelligible in it. He saw the man nod his head quickly and gathered the bags on Kaoru's arms. The redhead sighed in relief – _well that sure saves me from an earful…_

Making sure that Kaoru is now walking more comfortable without any difficulty, Kenshin made his way back home – as carefully as possible so as not to catch her attention.

XXX

'_Darn it!'_ Kenshin thought angrily as he ran as fast as he could, trying to get to his classroom before his teacher does. After he had gotten home from that little incident earlier, Kenshin had managed to get a quick nap… which in turn became…

'_Stupid uncle!' _he frowned, _'The least he could do is wake me up… but… what the heck!'_

As it turned out, the redhead wasn't as lucky as he thought he was. When he finally reached the classroom, he realized that his teacher was already there from the distinct sound of her voice. _'I'm doomed…'_ with that thought in his mind, he quietly opened the back door and went inside the room as discreetly as possible.

"I'm glad to have you with us now, Mr. Himura…"

Kenshin bent his head low and muttered quick apologies before taking his seat. His teacher gave him a very disapproving look before proceeding to write something on the board, telling the class to _'Copy and answer the following problems…'_

Feeling that the seatwork was hardly his fault, Kenshin frowned at the angry glares of his other classmates. He sighed and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper before copying the problems on the board. Not more than five minutes after, the door burst open again – this time, more violently than when Kenshin opened it as discreetly as possible. The teacher turned to glare at the nonchalant newcomer, making her way to her seat.

"Good morning to you too, Ms. Kamiya. It is so nice to have you join us for today." the teacher said in a very strained voice. "Grab a pen and paper, then answer these!" she pointed at the board irately.

Kaoru seemed unabashed and started to copy the problems on the board.

It took no more than twenty minutes for Kenshin to finish answering the math problems. So he spent the rest of the time, staring around the room and observing his other classmates – still frowning at their math problems. Misao – on the other side of the room – seemed to have already finished her work, was staring dreamily in space. Kenshin could only guess what's in _her _mind right now.

He sighed and turned his head to the other side of the room. He could see that Megumi was also finished and giving Sano directions on how to solve the problem in a discreet and hushed voice. He mentally chuckled, _'…who would've thought that Megumi would actually help Sano 'cheat'?'_

He shook his head and looked down at his paper, checking if he had written his name this time – the last time, he was feeling the last of his temper that he had almost forgotten to write his own name (Misao, having noticed and informed him the last time).

"Psst!" he felt a piece of crumpled paper hit the back of his head and turned. Kaoru was there, with a frown on her face. Kenshin frowned back at her.

"You were there!" she said, frowning deeper. "I saw you!"

Kenshin gaped, frowning hard and trying to figure out what he did this time, "Oro?"

"Earlier…" Kaoru raised an eyebrow, "…at the shop…" she added seeing the look of confusion on his face. Kenshin nodded his head, _"Oh…"_

"What were you doing there!" she asked, "Are you following me, dork!" she added, crossing her arms.

"Follow!" Kenshin frowned again, "Why would I do that!"

"How can I know that!" she bit back, just as annoyed as he was.

"I just happened to be there. Is that a crime!"

"What did you do after that? You didn't follow me all the way to—"

"_Something you want to share with the class?"_ their teacher said in a shrilly voice. Kenshin gulped while Kaoru only glared back at the teacher and stood up.

"I'm finished." Kaoru said, marching towards the teacher and placing her paper neatly on her (the teacher) table. "Can I go now?" the teenager added, with a frown.

The teacher, Ms. Minami, stared long and hard at the unblinking Kaoru before adding replying, "I believe a detention would do you some good, young miss."

Kaoru met her teacher's glare with a glare of her own, "Suits you." she said before leaving the room without even throwing the older lady another glance.

"Pass your papers!" Ms. Minami said, her face flushed with anger. "And…" she slowly turned to Kenshin's direction, "I believe you walked in late today, Mr. Himura… so detention for you too…"

XXX

_This is so unfair… such injustice… the irony of it all…_

He took a quick glance at the ever-silent girl sitting beside him, glaring at the blackboard and tapping her fingers on her desk. Kenshin shook his head and leaned back on his chair and copied her actions – though, he wasn't glaring at the board like she does.

"Mou! Stupid witch!" he heard her said in an annoyed voice. "Grr… I have better things to do than waste my time here with this stupid shrimpheaded girly boy!"

'_I can hear you, you know…'_ Kenshin wanted nothing but to answer back but decided against it. He was a _very _patient man, after all.

"What were you doing there anyway if you weren't following me!" she asked all of the sudden, slumping lower to her seat.

"So, you finally believe what I'm telling you…?" Kenshin said, almost uncertainly.

"Why?" she turned her icy blue eyes at him, "You don't want me to?"

"Just kidding…" he chuckled, feeling more comfortable now that she's talking.

"What were you doing?" she asked again.

"Oh… my uncle sent me to buy some… er… _stuff…_"

"What _'stuff'_?"

"Er…" Kenshin scratched the back of his head, "Would you believe me if I tell you that my uncle sent me to buy sake?"

"What kind of man drinks sake at that time of the morning!" she replied, narrowing her eyes and looking suspicious.

"Hehe…" Kenshin chuckled. "My uncle is not a normal man…"

To his surprise, her lips twitched into what unmistakably was a smile, "That's the _lamest_ lie that I have ever heard, you know?"

"I'm not lying…" he couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Fine…" she only shrugged, "Whatever… suits you…"

"You know…" he said, without really thinking, "You should always smile… it suits you better."

Kaoru turned to him and her smile quickly evaporated. Kenshin mentally kicked his big mouth and waited for the bodily-pain that was yet to come.

"Don't go all _mushy_ on me, shrimphead…" she said unblinkingly, "I tell you, it won't work."

Kenshin blinked as he found her turn back to the board. He almost jumped in surprise as she spoke again, "And don't go thinking that I have gone soft… it's just that I don't have much of a choice but to talk to you!"

'_Why do you care so much about being soft or not?'_ he wanted to ask but thought about it. He might not be luckier next time and the last thing he wanted was a huge bump on his head.

XXX

The two hours was already up before he knew it. He quickly gathered his things and was already by her side in a blink of an eye. Kaoru gave him a frown as she found him standing beside her, an innocent grin on his face.

"What do you think you are doing!" she asked, her frown growing deeper as he only smiled wider.

"Sano and the others must have already gone home." Kenshin replied, "And since you take the same route home as I do… might as well…"

"No!" she quickly said and began walking at a faster pace. Kenshin had to jog to catch up with her. "Don't you dare!" she turned to face him and raised a fist. Kenshin gulped.

Kaoru turned her back to him and began walking again. Kenshin stared at her and soon followed, keeping a good few feet away from her. They were already out of the school grounds when she faced him again.

"What do YOU want!" she glared at him and marched her way back to him, waving a fist threateningly at him.

"I told you…" Kenshin gulped again, "I take the same route home."

Kaoru gave him a frown and waved her hands dismissively on air, "FINE! But DON'T bug ME!" she quickly swirled and proceeded to walk home. Kenshin jogged until he was walking side by side with her.

"Is your house too far from school?" he asked, trying his luck.

"I told you not to bug me, shrimphead!"

"Why do you always have to call me that!" Kenshin took a deep breath. He really hated that nickname.

"Ask yourself!"

"Fine!"

For some time they stayed quiet, Kenshin throwing quick glances at him when he thought that she wasn't looking. But it seems that she was doing the same – from the looks of it, she was nervous; just like the other time.

"Why are YOU so quiet!" she suddenly blurted out loud, "And quit staring!"

"I'm not staring!" he answered back. _Or… am I?_

"Yes, you are!"

Kenshin met her glare, he was nearing his limits, "How can you say that I'm staring! You must be staring too!"

The result was absolute. Kaoru was standing there with her face flushed – whether it was from anger or embarrassment, it was hard to tell – and gaping wordlessly at him. Kenshin congratulated himself for a job well done.

"You WISH!" Kaoru said after regaining her composure. "Why would I stare at you! You, of all people, shrimphead!"

"I don't know…" Kenshin replied coolly, "Maybe that's for you to answer, Kaoru-_dono_." _Man… who knew teasing her was fun…_

"Oh… yes…" Kaoru glared at him, "Maybe I was wondering why someone can tell that you're a guy… you look more like a 'girl' to me!"

_Provoke me more… I'll show you I'm a guy…_

"I mean… why would I stare at you?" Kaoru went on and on, a smirk on her face, "You're short,"

_I'm taller than you!_

"…and you have long hair,"

_What's my hair length got to do with – !_

"…not to say, red…"

_What if my hair's red?_

"…you're too darned soft…"

_I'm not too soft!_

"…hardly good-looking…"

_Fine… I'm not the best-looking man in the world…_

"…and mostly…" she faced him, a look of triumph on her face, "YOU," she poke him on his chest, "look like a GIRL!" she poked him again, harder this time, "WHY would I, of all people… ?"

And that was it! He grabbed both of her small wrists and puller her closer to him. Kenshin leaned towards her, taking in the shock look of her eyes and her slightly trembling mouth.

"Don't dare me to do it…" Kenshin spoke in a voice that was not his own.

Kaoru only stared wordlessly at him, her mouth moving but words failed her. Looking at her right now, Kenshin could almost sense her…

"I…" Kenshin let her go, staring shamefully at his feet, "I… I'm…"

Kaoru just stood there, with the same look of shock and confusion on her red face, chewing her lips as she too stared at the ground.

"I have to go…" he heard her finally say and looked up only to find her walking ahead.

"Er… K-Kaoru…dono…" Kenshin jogged to her side. She looked up, trying to avoid his eyes. "I'll walk you." he said with his fingers crossed. For once, the 'it' girl never raised an argument.

To be Continued…

A/N: Sorry for the long wait… kinda busy lately. I hope this chapter can make up for all the waiting and … _waiting…_ Til next chapter.


	8. Sorry

**the 'IT' girl**

**by: nyllemnev**

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine

**Chapter 8: **Sorry

She had never said a word nor threw a single glance – not even a single glare – at his direction when they met at school hallway the next day. Kenshin – who was supposed to be feeling relieved at the very fact – spent the rest of the day, wondering how on earth he would approach her or at least talk to her.

"Oi! Are you still with us!" Sano lightly hit the back of his head, causing the shorter man to almost stumble forward. Turning his eyes on his frowning friend, Kenshin mustered a small smile and spoke in a small voice, "Hey Sano… What's up?"

Beside his tall friend, Misao and Megumi exchanged worried glances before fixing their redheaded friend two identical frowns.

"Are you sure you're not sick?" Megumi actually felt for his forehead, "Well, you certainly doesn't have a fever, so what's wrong?"

Kenshin only shrugged, and started to walk again – his three friends shared confused looks before sauntering behind him. They talked about some stuff – he really couldn't get any of it, he just nodded and smiled here and there to show them that he was listening when the truth was that…

Actually, he doesn't understand why he is feeling like this. It was hardly his fault that he actually _snapped _at _her_ like that. Sure, he was a man of long patience and all that stuff but – _She really went beyond the line last night… It's not my fault anymore…_

**_Flashback_**

_Their walk was a very uncomfortable one. If Kenshin has felt more uncomfortable, this one surely beats it. Kaoru was just walking silently beside him, head bent low and staring at the ground as if it was the greatest master piece of them all. Kenshin lets another sigh, trying to muster the strength to at least talk to her or worse – apologize._

_If wasn't really his fault, was it? Every person has their limitations, haven't they? And –_

_She suddenly stopped walking and just stood there. Kenshin looked around to find that they have reached the town park. With a very confused frown, he stared at her back; only to find that she was already slowly making her way to the nearest bench._

"_Er… Kaoru-dono?" he called, but she either ignored him or never heard. He sighed and took the empty space beside her. "Kaoru-dono?" he tried again. This time, she merely raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue._

"_Er… aren't you supposed to go home now?" he said, almost as cautiously as he could. The last thing he wanted was to fuel her anger more – if she really was angry to begin with (he thought with his fingers crossed)._

"_I'm waiting for my lift." she answered to his slight surprise._

"_You expecting someone to pick you up?" he asked again, "Your father?"_

"_No…" she replied, shaking her head, "My father is too busy for that."_

"_Oh…" he nodded his head as if that settled the matter. He leaned back on the bench and took a quick glance at his watch. He took a quick glance at her and was surprised to find that she actually looked nearly as nervous as he was._

"_I'm sorry about that… I mean… that… er…" he started, now grabbing this chance to apologize – now that she seems calmer._

_Kaoru only looked down and stared down at her own hands which were tightening its hold on her schoolbag. The redhead took another deep sigh and stared at a nearby couple talking animatedly to each other. Another sigh escaped him._

"_Forget it…" she suddenly said, "That never happened."_

_He blinked at her, "Wha—"_

"_It never happened." Kaoru repeated, more firmly this time. Before Kenshin could even open his mouth to say something, a black sedan – the same black sedan that he had noticed earlier stopped and out came the same man. Kaoru gave him another nod before coming to walk towards the car that has just stopped._

"_And…" Kaoru stared at him long and hard. "YOU never WITNESSED this!" she stated firmly before climbing inside the car and was soon out._

_**Flashback : end**_

'Okay… I thought we're okay after that…' Kenshin sighed again, only realizing that he and his friends had already reached their classroom. His eyes quickly scanned the room and met a pair of sapphire eyes for a very brief moment before she tore the connection. The redhead sighed again and took his seat but not without risking another look at a certain 'it' girl.

XXX

"Man! That was very tiring!" Sano was complaining, yet again to Megumi while Kenshin was stuffing his things on his school bag. He heard Sano's wince as his head connected, yet again, to Megumi's ever trusty book. The redhead only shook his head and sighed.

"C'mon…" Misao said to him and Kenshin nodded. Megumi and Sano argued all the way to the cafeteria where their voice soon died down from the loud chatter of the other students within. Kenshin and his friends occupied their usual table and ordered the same meal.

"Sorry 'bout yesterday…" Megumi said, her voice taking Kenshin by surprise. "We left without you…"

Kenshin gave his friend a small smile, "It's alright…"

"It's very unfair of Ms. Minami to give you that detention when you never deserved it." Misao said with a pout.

"Well, I walked in late, so I guess I just deserved it." Kenshin shrugged.

"Must be hell…" Sano shook his head, "Did she murder you in there?"

Kenshin blinked, "Murder? Who?"

"Kamiya! She didn't pester you, did she?" Sano said, leaning forward.

"Of course she did!" Megumi rolled her eyes, "It's _her_ we're talking about here."

And just like those other times, Sano and Megumi argued. Normally, Kenshin – the most patient man of them all – would have just let them be and just shook his head or let out a sigh. He doesn't know what happened, he doesn't know why or how – it's just that, it's as if something suddenly snapped inside of him. Something he couldn't quite figure out… _Something_…

Kenshin pushed his half-eaten meal, more forcefully as he intended and stood up. Megumi and Sano stopped arguing, and Misao stopped eating to stare at him in shock and slightly puzzled. Before they could utter a single word, he lifted a hand and was out without another word.

XXX

"Himura!" surprise was evident on her face as he accidentally bumped into her in the hallway. Kenshin only stood there and watched as she made a move to pick the book that she had hastily dropped in the process. Only realizing what had just happened, Kenshin shook his head and quickly picked her book up and handed it to her.

"You called me by my name…" Kenshin said, just realizing the fact. The girl only snorted at him and quickly took the book from him.

"You wish, SHRIMPHEAD!" Kaoru sauntered away from him, leaving the redhead watching her with a frown. Then, shaking his head, he jogged to catch up with her.

"What the hell do YOU think YOU are DOING, SHRIMPY!" Kaoru stopped walking to face him, a cold look on her face.

"I just thought you… er…" Kenshin looked down, "I just thought that you wouldn't mind the company that you wouldn't…"

"Well I MIND!" Kaoru glared at him and began to walk away. Kenshin was soon behind her. Whether he had a deathwish or not, even Kenshin doesn't know.

"LOOK!" Kaoru faced him again, her face flushed with growing frustration. "What do YOU want! Just spill it out and LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"I… er…" Kenshin thought hard for an answer. Unfortunately, none came.

Kaoru rolled her eyes and walked down the stairs, sending death glares at everyone passing by. Kenshin watched her go for a while before following, yet again. She stopped walking by the same old tree that he had once caught her spend the entire lunch break before, took a seat and opened her book to read. Once he was certain that she was too engrossed in her book to notice his existence, Kenshin decided to take the empty space beside her as quietly as possible.

"I told you not to bother me, shrimpy!" she said without even looking up from her book.

"Er… I promise I won't bother you." Kenshin said, mustering up a wide innocent grin and crossing his fingers inside his pocket. Kaoru blew her bangs out of her eyes and never said another word.

"Er… are you mad at me?" the redhead asked as cautiously as possible, readying himself for the blow to come. He sighed in relief when none came.

"What's it to you if I'm mad?" she asked, in a more calm and collected voice.

"Because that must mean that I have done something wrong and I don't like it." Kenshin said truthfully. "Makes me feel uncomfortable."

"If you're talking about what happened last night, I already told you to forget it!" she answered back, irritation evident on her voice.

"But it seems that you're avoiding me for some reason."

Kaoru finally looked up, a frown on her almost flawless face, "And if I really am avoiding you… so what?" she raised an eyebrow to emphasize her point. Kenshin only stared – he sure does not know what was the point.

"I don't know." the redhead only shrugged and stared up at the sky. "I just don't feel comfortable when I know that someone doesn't like me."

"What makes you think that I, of all people, will like YOU?" Kaoru replied, more agitated than the situation warranted. Kenshin turned to look at her.

"Won't you?" he asked. It was fun watching her so lost at words like she was right now.

"You LYING FREAK! You SAID that YOU will NOT bother ME!" she hastily went back to her book and he noted how her little hands slightly tremble as she held her book up to hide her face. Kenshin shook his head at the thought, _'Why would he notice things like that!'_

"I'm really sorry about last night…" Kenshin sighed, "And don't tell me to shut it out or anything because I'm not going to stop until I'm certain that I am forgiven."

"Fine!" was her quick reply and she slightly lowered her book so she could look at him, "Will you leave me alone now!"

Kenshin only smiled and lied down on the grasses, staring up at the crystal blue sky, feeling better and the huge knot on throat suddenly melting.

_Life is surely full of mysteries…_

To be continued…

A/N: Another chapter from me… :) I sure do hope that you liked it:) Til next chapter… see ya!

**To Anonymous but interested** – wow, so many questions already… but I'm afraid that I can't answer all of it myself. I want the chapters to speak for themselves and not spell it out myself, you know. :) I do hope it's alright with you.


	9. Little Adventure

**the 'IT' girl**

**by: nyllemnev**

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine

**Chapter 9: **Little Adventure

"Why would **I **let you carry my things!" was her angry retort when he offered to carry her things for her. Kenshin mentally chuckled as he watched her give him a small glare and went walking away without another word. He was soon at her tails before he even knew it.

Kaoru walked with her head high, chest out and sending death glares at every student that she encounters on her way. He shook his head – honestly, what can she get by glaring at almost everyone in sight? Kenshin wanted very much to ask but decided against it. He figured that he had tried his luck enough and would probably get an earful if he pushed it farther.

"Why are YOU following ME!" Kaoru said, her annoyance was very obvious from her voice.

Kenshin merely smiled and replied as calmly as he could, "But we go to the same class, didn't we, Kaoru-dono?"

"I know that FREAK!" she faced him and gave him a very cold glare. "That's why I pretty INFORMED that…" she pointed to something past Kenshin's shoulder, "…THAT is the WAY to OUR classroom!" she added, emphasizing her words with several smacks on his head. The redhead took a deep calming breath, rubbing his head and he could've sworn that he felt a single bump forming.

'_Just when I thought that I'm starting to get lucky…'_

Kaoru made an annoyed huff and was soon walking away, in the other direction. Kenshin frowned.

"Er… Kaoru-dono, aren't you supposed to be going back to our classroom? You don't want to –"

"YOU KEEP YOUR NOSE OUT OF MY BUSINESS, SHRIMP!" she actually yelled making the redhead jump back in alarm. She began walking again without another word.

Kenshin watched her go with a frown. Normally, he would have just let her be and leave her alone as she oh-so-nicely asked him to do. But it seems that today was a pretty _special_ day.

"Kaoru-dono, you don't want detention again, do you?" he asked as he jogged beside her.

"What would YOU, and the rest of the world, care if I get another detention!" she snapped at him, though she kept looking ahead and started taking longer strides.

"But the teacher—"

"LEAVE ME OR DIE!"

"But what is so important that you –"

"MIND YOUR OWN BUS—"

She suddenly stopped as someone bumped into her from behind, sending her stumbling forward but Kenshin was quick to stop her from hitting the ground.

"Are you alright, Kaoru-dono?" he asked as he helped her back on her feet but she merely slapped his hands away and turned to glare at whoever **bold **enough to bump into her – of all people!

The 'one' appears to be a freshman boy with spiky brown hair and huge brown eyes. The boy stared up at Kaoru with – what appeared to be – a very relieved expression on his face. Kenshin frowned again.

"Ms. Ka-" the boy started but Kaoru quickly interjected.

"You watch where you're going KID!" she said and Kenshin could've sworn that Kaoru threw him a look. The boy's eyes widened as if in understanding and nodded at her.

"It's Tsubame…" he said. "They locked her up!"

"Wha-" Kaoru frowned, "Who did that?"

"Them!" the boy said with a very angry look on his face.

"Those PIGS!" Kaoru growled and turned back to Kenshin, "You go ahead, I might be busy."

Kenshin stared at her as if she had grown another head, "Is there something wrong, Kaoru-dono?"

"Just LEAVE!" she said and whispered something at the boy. The next thing the redhead knew, Kaoru and the unknown freshman were already running down the hallway. Without stopping for a thought, Kenshin was soon at their tails.

The two stopped running in front of a storage room and Kenshin stopped to hide on a corner. From where he was standing, he could distinctly hear the boy explaining to Kaoru what has happened.

"I just left to get something and when I came back I saw them throwing her in that room then slammed the door shut and left – laughing like there is no tomorrow."

"Why not just open it?" was Kaoru's reply.

"Can't… the lock's broken or something…"

"Alright…" Kaoru nodded and lightly tapped the door, "Tsubame, you there?"

"Ah!" came a small voice from inside the room, "Ms. Kamiya, is that you?"

"Yeah, the kid managed to get me…" Kaoru said trying to turn the knobs. "Stand back, I will try and force the door open."

"Hai!"

Kaoru took a deep breath and took a few steps back. She knew that this would not be as easy as she thought it could be – the door is very solid and all – but, she has no other choice. She sighed again.

"Ready!" she said, "Here—"

"Let me do it, Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin said, placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her from what she is about to do. "You might hurt yourself that you could."

The redhead smiled as the girl only stood there with her mouth slightly ajar, as if trying to figure out how he managed to get here without her noticing. Kenshin turned to stare at the door.

"I told you to leave!" he heard Kaoru said but ignored it as he tried to open the door by force – wincing a little everytime his left shoulder collides with the door. After four or so attempts, the door finally gave in and out came a very terrified looking girl. The redhead fell exhaustedly on his knees and smiled as the terrified girl ran to Kaoru, crying in relief.

"I was so scared; I thought no one's going to hear me… Oh, Ms. Kamiya, thank you very much, thank you…"

"It's not me…" Kaoru said, her eyes falling at her silent classmate who was currently nursing his left shoulder.

The girl, Tsubame, also turned her teary eyes at him and Kenshin felt slightly embarrassed when the shy-looking girl bowed gratefully at him and gave him a small hug.

"Thank you very much!" Tsubame said before turning to the other freshman. "You too, Yahiko-kun! You helped!"

"Yeah… a little…" the boy, Yahiko said looking slightly hopeful. His face turned beet red when the girl gave him a hug as well.

"I told you to be careful!" Kaoru was saying with her back at the scene. "Mou! I told you to stay out of trouble, darn it!"

"Gomen-nasai (I'm sorry) Kamiya-san… it won't happen again." Tsubame bowed at her.

"Of course it won't!" Kaoru said firmly, "I'll make sure of IT!" and with that she left. Kenshin eyed her as she left.

"Oh no…" Tsubame's small gasp caught Kenshin's attention and he turned to her. "She's not going to do what I think she's going to do…" she said this more particularly at Yahiko who looked just as anxious. Kenshin took that opportunity to voice out his concerns.

"What is it that you think Kaoru-dono will do?" the redhead asked, standing up. The two freshmen exchanged nervous looks before turning to Kenshin.

"I don't think we could tell you…" Tsubame said, looking down at her shoes. "Kamiya-san might get…"

"What's Kaoru's anger if she can get seriously hurt!" Yahiko said frowning at Tsubame, "You Kaoru's classmate –"

"The name's Kenshin…" Kenshin frowned.

"Fine, Kenshin, whatever!" Yahiko rolled his eyes, "The thing is we thought Kaoru'll go straight to Homura and his group and… you know her…"

'_Homura and his group?'_ Kenshin frowned, those were the biggest bully in school and if he remembered that Kaoru almost got hurt when she last encountered them _(chapter 2, anyone?)_. He stared back at Yahiko to see if the younger boy was kidding or something. It seems that he is indeed serious.

"Where do you think this group usually hangs out?" Kenshin asked.

"They normally skip classes and stay all day in the back of the school, near the old building…" Yahiko said thoughtfully before turning to Tsubame, "You go to class and tell the teacher I got sick or something, I'll go—"

"I'll go…" Kenshin said and was soon on his way to follow a certain 'girl' out and hopefully stop an oncoming school riot.

XXX

She found them at their usual spot, talking aloud and laughing at something funny – something that _she _didn't find so _funny_ at all. Putting on the usual scowl that she was oh-so-popular with and her fist ready at her sides, she marched towards them – making them stop their small celebration.

"What have we got here?" the largest of them all smirked at her direction, his eyes going up and down of her body but she couldn't care less. For now she was angry – no, she was beyond that… she was FURIOUS!

"Sorry to interrupt your little party, loser!" Kaoru spat on the ground and glared at their each and every stunned face, taking in the pleasure of seeing how her little act erased the nasty grin on this big pig's ugly face.

"Is there something wrong, missy?" the huge guy said again, regaining his composure. "What might have we, _mere ordinary_ students, done to upset _her highness_?"

Kaoru gave him the best glare that she could muster. It seems to have worked because his minions took a step back in alarm.

"'_Mere ordinary students'_ my face!" she said, "You're nothing but a _mere ugly pig_ to me, DORK!"

"Are you trying to pick a fight?" the bully said, his face dangerously serious but Kaoru met his glare unblinkingly.

"If you don't stop scaring people of I'm not afraid to do so, Homura-_san_…" she said the last word like spitting venom.

The bully, Homura started to laugh aloud with his minions following their leader's lead. Kaoru's eyes twitched in irritation at the sound of their maniac laughter but she held herself with dignity and waited for them to stop.

"Look who's talking!" Homura said with a very malicious grin on his face. "When it's you—"

"Don't pull me to your level, you stupid freak!" Kaoru said, angrier than she intended. "I'm not YOUR level, you _laughing iguanas!_"

"I don't like how that tongue of yours work…"

"And I don't like how that brain of yours work…" Kaoru smirked, "Oh wait… I just remembered you don't have one. Mind you, I—"

Homura grabbed her by the collar of her uniform before she could even react. Kaoru could feel her feet slowly leave the ground as he lifted her off, making it harder to breath but she glared at him – not wanting to give him the pleasure of seeing her affected at his actions.

"Why?" she smirked again, "Does it hurt to hear the truth?"

"You bitch, I'll—" he lifted a fist and Kaoru stared at him, fighting off the urge to blink or to let a single whimper come out. Her pride wouldn't let him have that satisfaction, though her heart was starting to—

"That's not the way of a gentleman that it isn't…"

Kaoru blinked this time, not of fear but of confusion. Only one person speaks like that, and only one person sounded like that…

"Kaoru-san!"

"Well, well…" Homura let her go, sending her painfully on the ground but Kaoru never made a single sound of pain escape from her. Pushing herself up, she turned to stare at him with Yahiko standing by his side.

'_What the—'_

"Isn't it the savior from the last time…" Homura said, eyeing Kenshin with a slight raise of an eyebrow, "Easy, now boy… the teachers won't be coming to save you this time."

"Please leave us alone. We don't want trouble that we don't…" Kenshin said with that innocent grin he was famous for. Homura lets another roar of laughter that Kaoru have to bit her tongue to stop herself from voicing her irritation out loud.

"Well, young missy here came for trouble." Homura said after he recovered from his fits of laughter, "And I am just kind enough to give her what she wants."

"Please don't hurt her." Kenshin actually bowed, "She does not know what she is doing."

'_The coward!'_ Kaoru pushed Homura out of the way and marched her way towards her redheaded classmate, whacking him repeatedly on his head.

"How dare you!" she angrily retorted, "Who told you I'm afraid to get HURT! Who told YOU that I DON'T know what I'M DOING!"

"The pain, please stop the pain, de gozaru yo…" Kenshin fell swirly-eyed on the ground when she released him.

"WHY YOU BITCH!" Homura was standing up, looking livid when Kaoru turned back at him. Her eyes widened as she found him near enough to hit her. He lifted a fist and Kaoru was sure that it would surely connect with any part of her body now, if not for…

A pained cry escaped from him as Homura's huge fist collided with his already injured left shoulder. Kaoru watched with fear as he fell limping to the ground, grabbing his shoulder as if his life depended on it.

'_The idiot…'_

"Kenshin!" Yahiko was quick at his side, helping the redhead in anyway he could.

Kaoru turned at glared at Homura, noting how his minions were slowly making a move to join their leader. _'This is going to be a dirty one…'_ she thought, lifting a fist to ready herself from the whole riot that was about to come – the one she had created herself. But before any of the bullies could even lift a fist to fight or take a step to reach her, another voice came… another interruption came.

"What's this!" Kaoru turned to find a teacher standing there. _Who knew she would be glad to see a teacher actually there._ With laughing blue eyes, she watched as Homura and his gang took off for flight, but not without Homura throwing a nasty glare at her.

"You come back!" the teacher called and was soon at their tails. If the situation was only a bit different, it could have been a funny experience… but, well…

"Are you alright?" Tsubame was soon beside her which took her by surprise. "You hurt, Ms. Kamiya?"

"No… I'm fine…" Kaoru shook her head and then her eyes fell on Kenshin. She knelt beside him and frowned at him.

"You stupid IDIOT!" she lightly punched his uninjured arm. "Whatever comes INSIDE that shrimpy HEAD of YOURS to do that!" she punched him on the same arm again, sounding as nonchalant as she could.

"Gomen ne (Sorry), Kaoru-dono…" the redhead merely smirked which made her grow more frustrated. If he wasn't injured, she will surely give him a good kick on the—

"Can you help me with him, Yahiko?" Kaoru turned to the spiky-haired boy who nodded. Draping an arm on her shoulder, she helped him back on his feet with great difficulty and proceeded to the only logical place she has in mind.

XXX

"Are you alright, Kenshin?"

It was Misao's worried face who welcomed him when he first opened his eyes. Sitting up, more quickly that he had intended, causing the painful itch on his shoulder, he quickly scanned the room he was in to. '_Why on earth did I manage to get here?'_

"Is it true? Homura and his gang did this to you?" Megumi and Sano was the next thing that he noticed, and he turned to them.

"Homura? Oro?" Kenshin scratched the back of his head with his right hand.

"Man… you're never the one to start a fight…" Sano shook his head at him, "Did they do something to you that makes you fight them?"

Kenshin continued to scan the room, he somewhat felt that something is amiss, "How did you know that I'm here?"

"Those two freshmen told us." Misao said, "Is there something wrong?"

Kenshin's eyes fell on a water pitcher sitting silently on the table and turned to give Misao a smile, "Nah… just thirsty." Misao returned his smile and poured him a glass of water.

"Here… drink this."

"Thank you." the redhead gratefully drank eventhough he was not feeling really thirsty. It really makes him happy that Misao worries about him like that.

"Mou! Because of those losers you missed classes!" Megumi said looking slightly disturbed at the very fact. Kenshin frowned and merely _oro-_ed.

"Classes are already finished." Sano informed him, as if reading what's on his mind. "We came here to see you as soon as the bell rang."

"Thanks." Kenshin smiled again. "What happened by the way? Did I miss a quiz or something?"

"No. Not a single quiz." Megumi shook her head with a smile, "You're lucky though, Ms. Yamaguchi forgot her notebook."

"Well, I must be." Kenshin chuckled. "And then what…"

"Yamaguchi had this really stupid idea…" Sano started earning a glare from Megumi for calling a teacher 'stupid'. "Well fine! Yamaguchi got this idea!"

"That for us to improve our grades in her subject, we need some help…" Misao added with a smile. "She said maybe if we could have study buddies, it could help us improve our grades. Sounds cool?"

"I guess." Kenshin nodded. _How would it be great if he could have Misao as a partner._

"I got really lucky, you know?" Misao's smile became wider. "I got Aoshi-sama! I am so lucky!" she chirped and Kenshin's spirits slight fell.

"You should have seen the look on their faces when they found out who Aoshi-sama will be spending some time with! I have so many rivals, you know…" she added with a wink.

"That would be great…" Kenshin managed a small smile. "You could spend some time with him."

"Yeah!" Misao nodded dreamily, "Who knows? I might get him to like me as well…"

"That won't be a very difficult matter… you are not difficult to like…" he blurted out before his brain could even process what he is saying. Misao blushed a little and gave him a grateful smile.

"How 'bout Sano and Megumi?" Kenshin quickly changed the subject.

"You won't believe it!" Misao grinned ear-to-ear. "Yamaguchi paired them off!"

Kenshin grinned. '_Now that was really great… and he meant it._'

"You should have seen them…" Misao giggled, "They argued all the way here just because of the matter!"

Kenshin chuckled at that. It was very Megumi-and-Sano-ish to argue about the almost every kind of stuff. Just like now, (he noted as he turned to his other friends direction), they're already arguing about what caused my absence in the remaining half of his classes.

"Don't think that he's like you!" Megumi was saying, glaring at Sano, "You are the only one who would skip a class just because you're TOO lazy!"

"I'm not lazy!" Sano retorted back.

"You copied my homework,"

"I only compare out answers!"

"…you doze off in classes…"

"…Minami's voice has mysterious sleeping powers…"

"You make me help you CHEAT!"

"It was YOU who OFFERED! I only ACCEPTED!"

"YOU could HAVE declined!"

"Why would I decline if blessings is given to me on a silver platter!"

"Ethics! You know ethics!"

"What the heck is 'ethics'!" Sano said, looking convincingly confused. Megumi angrily huffed and tossed her long hair back. Kenshin chuckled as he watched the two.

"But er…" Misao said, "You're paired with… uhm…"

Kenshin faced her, waiting for her to continue. He wondered who would be his study buddy and silently hoped that it was someone whom he is slightly familiar with (since his friends have already had their respective partners).

"Er… don't be surprised, though…" Misao actually looked worried. Kenshin frowned and thought at any classmate that can make Misao act like this – no one.

"Your partner…"

XXX

He walked home with his friends this time (after assuring the nurse that he is indeed feeling okay). Sano and Megumi seems to be arguing about studies again (what's new) while Misao was telling him about what she's planning for her first chance to spend time with her _Aoshi-sama_ (again, what's new). And again, they soon split up, waving their goodbye's.

Kenshin walked all alone down the same road that he always take everyday, stepping aside as some children went chasing each other and calling each other some _names_. The redhead merely chuckled, somehow this little ones reminded him of his so oh-so-bickering two friends.

'_Honestly, Sano should just stop acting like a kid and just start treating Megumi-dono nicer…'_ he thought with a sigh as he looked up and his eyes went wide.

Kaoru was walking, staring at the ground as she did so – not minding that she was bumping into person after person, answering every angry glare that she receives with a glare of her own. With a deep breath, he jogged and soon managed to catch up with her.

"YOU SNEAKY FREAK!" she retorted when he lightly tapped her shoulder to catch her attention. Kenshin gave her a small smile and waited for blow to come. None came, to his great relief.

"Going home?" he asked, half-expecting for the same sarcastic answer.

"No!" she rolled her eyes, another expected response, "I'm going to TRAVEL around the WORLD, dork!"

"Sorry…" Kenshin sighed.

Silence fell for quite sometime and Kenshin stared at the road right ahead, not daring to take the quickest glance at his quiet companion for he was afraid for her fury.

"How's your arm?" she asked in a voice soft as a whisper. He turned to her to find her staring at the ground and her cheeks slightly of the pinkish color. _Must be the sun setting…_

"It's alright now… OUCH!" he winced as she lightly pinched his left shoulder. He gave her a frown.

"I knew IT!" Kaoru glared at him, "You are SUCH an IDIOT sometimes, you know that?"

"You always remind me that I am…" Kenshin muttered under his breath, nursing his aching shoulder.

"MOU! Stupid! You are an IDIOT! Senseless IDIOT! Stupid, freaking, nosy IDIOT! MOU!" she waved her hand in frustration and Kenshin had the distinct impression that she could go pulling his hair now if she continued steaming like that. He slowly inched away from her just to be safe.

"Who told you I needed help!" was her last words and for some reasons, her shoulders fell and her eyes found the ground more adoring again.

"I'm sorry…" was all that he could offer.

"I am completely capable, you know…" Kaoru bent her head lower, causing some of her hair to fall down her shoulder – completely hiding her from his view. "I am NOT weak! I can take care of MYSELF! I don't need anyone to HELP me! I can MANAGE on MY own!"

"Kaoru-dono…" he stared at her slightly shaking fist and the hair that was hiding her face from him. But she stayed quiet and Kenshin decided to follow her lead, but continued to give her quick worried glances.

"That's your stop." she finally said and Kenshin – just like those times – only realized that he was indeed right in front of his house. But unlike those other times, he continued to walk by her side.

"Why are you still following me?" Kaoru said in a monotone.

"I want to walk you home." he answered truthfully. _'She's my classmate after all…'_

"You already know that someone's going to pick me up already, so don't waste your time!" and when she turned he was surprised to find her eyes shining with something that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Then I will wait with you."

Kaoru stared at him with that same look on her eyes. Feeling the temperature slightly rise for some reason, he stared right ahead and just silently walked until they reached the same bench they had took a few nights before.

"Why not just let your uncle pick you up at school?" the redhead asked, in an attempt to make things at ease.

"He is not my uncle." Kaoru said and he noted how her hands started to tremble, "And you don't need to know that!"

"Sorry…"

"Why do keep saying 'sorry'?" she asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"I'm sorry…" he looked down.

"Gah! Just shut up then!" she rolled her eyes and leaned back on the bench. Kenshin leaned back as well and stared at the sky that was slowly starting to dark.

"Is Tsubame-chan and Yahiko-kun some friend of yours?" he asked, remembering the two freshmen from earlier.

"I don't have friends, idiot!" Kaoru rolled her eyes again, "They're mere acquaintances! And Tsubame, you have met her before, don't you remember?"

Kenshin frowned hard to remember but it was a failure. Kaoru gave an impatient huff and continued, "At the Akabeko, remember? She was the one who served our meals? You know…" she then gave him a very cold glare, "…when you left me for that girl Makimachi!"

Kenshin merely _oh_-ed and nodded his head. He never knew that she was still affected with that little incident. He thought that she had already forgiven him and had completely forgotten that little incident. He sighed.

"I'm sorry…"

"Man! You are hopeless!" she actually sighed.

"Sorry…"

"I told you to STOP saying that freaking 'SORRY', you idiotic shrimphead!"

Kenshin opened his mouth to apologize once more but her death glare silenced his mouth. He merely nodded.

"Well, she actually remembered you, mind you…" Kaoru continued, "She wanted me to tell you 'thanks'."

"It's nothing really." Kenshin smiled.

"Thanks…" she said in a soft voice. Kenshin blinked.

"Er… tell Tsubame-san that it's nothing really." he repeated again which made her eyes flashed in anger and made her whack his head with her bag. The redhead winced in pain.

"You IDIOT!" Kaoru stood up and went to the other vacant bench but not after giving him a glare. The redhead frowned in confusion.

'_Now what was that for…_' was his thoughts as he rubbed another bump on his head.

**To be continued…**


	10. The Girl Behind the Mask

**the 'IT' girl**

**by: nyllemnev**

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine

**Chapter 10:** The Girl Behind the Mask

"And as for the very first assignment that you have to do with your partners…" Ms. Yamaguchi, their homeroom adviser, happily announced with a huge giddy smile on her face. Kenshin sighed and leaned back on his seat as he waited for his overly excited teacher to continue.

"I am going to give the remaining time for you and your partners to brainstorm on—"

"What partners!" was the rather curt question from the back row. Kenshin need not turn to figure out that the question was from Kaoru – he nervously gulped, _how could he have forgotten to tell her yesterday…_

Yamaguchi only turned to Kaoru, her smile becoming wider – almost ear-to-ear, as she spoke, "Oh yes! I forgot that you were in the clinic with Mr. Himura yesterday, eh?"

Kenshin blinked at that (_'Nobody told me that…'_) and turned to find the 'it-girl' glowering at their smiling teacher.

"Why would I stay with stupid shrimpy in the clinic!" she said aloud and turned away sharply. Kenshin could've sworn that he saw her face turn pink.

"Anyway…" Yamaguchi grinned more to Kaoru's direction before turning her attention back to the class. "I'm giving you the remaining of our period to brainstorm. You have to submit to me the rough draft of your story before the bell rings, okay?"

With that, Yamaguchi sat behind the teacher's desk and his classmates moved to join their partners. He noted Misao happily skipping to Aoshi's direction while Sano and Megumi were going on (yet again) for whatever they're arguing about. With a sigh, he turned to his _partner_ and found that she still hasn't moved an inch and was scowling at the window.

"Er… Kaoru-dono…" he scratched the back of his head as he took the seat next to hers. She regarded him with that scowl that he is oh-so-familiar with before turning to stare out of the window.

"Er… we should start, I believe." the redhead produced a notebook and a pen from his schoolbag and turned to find her still staring out of the window, "Kaoru-dono?"

"Mou!" she blew her bangs and turned to frown at someone past his shoulder, "Stupid teacher! I can do this assignment all by myself! Why pair me off with some stupid geek!" she pouted and glared.

'_I can hear you, you know…'_ Kenshin sighed as he waited for Kaoru to finally _notice_ him. His eyes wandered around the classroom and noted how his classmates were already starting their _'brainstorming'_ – Misao was more gawking at Aoshi while the usually silent man was talking about something. He sighed.

"Oy!" her voice sounded really angry for some reason and the nudge on his arm was slightly more painful than the usual. He turned to find her glaring at him.

"Let's get this on!" Kaoru said, her eyes moving from him to something behind him, and then back to him.

"Er… sorry…" he gave her a weak smile and nodded.

"You like her…" his eyes widened at what she said. When he looked up, he found her staring at him with an odd expression on her face.

"Oro?"

Kaoru regarded him with a small frown, as if trying to read what was going on his mind. Kenshin tried with all of his might to meet her eyes unblinkingly, to give her that puzzled look that he is very popular for. And for that very few seconds, he wondered why he never noticed – why all of those times, he never noticed –

"Nothing…" it was she who first broke the icy silence with a small sigh. She placed her chin on her updrawn hand and stared at him as if waiting for him to say something.

"Er… why?" he asked, almost nervously.

"I thought that I heard you saying that we should start with that stupid assignment…" Kaoru replied, the same odd look still present on her face. Kenshin gulped and gave her a small uneasy smile.

"Yeah… I think I said that…" he nodded and turned back to his, still, blank notebook.

"Where do we start?" she asked, placing her chin on her hand, "You think…"

"I was thinking of a story about friends—" the redhead said, scratching the back of his head.

"Too sappy!" was Kaoru's comment, "I like something with more action or suspense…"

"Er… then we can do something about friendship that is not too sappy and something with action or suspense." Kenshin suggested, "Is that alright then?"

Kaoru thought for a while, "Alright." she shrugged and Kenshin smiled with relief, "This is after all a group project. I guess it's only fair that we put our ideas into this one, eh?"

"Right!" he nodded, "And then we'd have two main characters…"

"As long as they're not too soft-y or something like that it's alright with me…"

"…the setting is at present?"

"I want it more of a fantasy world…" she said with a small smile, "…with magic, samurais, warriors – something like that…"

"Alright, if you want…"

The school bell soon rang and echoes of complaints soon filled class 2-B. In the end, Ms. Yamaguchi gave up with the cries and protests of her class and soon told them (to Sano's utter delight) that the assignment can be passed in Monday.

Kenshin was putting his things in his bag when someone tapped him lightly on his shoulder. When he turned, he was surprised to find that it was Misao.

"Hey!" the redhead said with a smile for his friend. He frowned when he noted that Sano and Megumi were already out of the room.

"Megumi said that they're going to finish their assignment…" Misao said, as if reading his mind, "…more like Megumi forced Sano into it…" she added with a wink.

"Oh!" Kenshin nodded, "That's very… er… Megumi-_ish_, that it is…"

Misao giggled and playfully hit him on the arm. Kenshin could not help but join her laughter.

"So they left us again, eh?" he muttered, not really intending for Misao to hear it but—

"Well they always do…" Misao only shrugged as they walked out of their classroom together. "I always wonder why…"

'_If you only knew…'_ Kenshin thought with a sigh as the two took the long hallway.

The school hallway was pretty crowded – noisy and packed with students excited and ready to plan their weekends away. Misao, who was walking beside him, was telling him about something – he wasn't really listening, the words that escaped her lips were soon becoming meaningless and absurd to his ears as he watched her talked. _'Just like one of those times…'_

"What's up with you now?" he blinked at her sudden question and gave her one confused frown. She giggled and shook her head, "You've been spending lesser time with us these last few days."

"I have?" Kenshin's eyes widened, "I didn't…"

"And I notice that you seem very happy these last few days!" her grin has a mischievous glint that he never missed.

"Oro?"

Misao giggled again, that mischievous grin becoming wider to the redhead's utter discomfort, "Something came up that you're not telling me?" she asked and grabbing him by his arm, she added in a whisper, "Or rather it is a _someone_?"

Kenshin blushed and he doesn't even know why. He opened his mouth to answer back but someone roughly pushed his back – making him lose his balance and almost stumble forward. He need not look up to figure out that Kaoru had, _once again_, passed.

"Mou! I hate it when she does that…" Misao sighed as she helped her friend back to his feet, watching as Kaoru pushed another group of students out of her way.

"Er…" Kenshin gave her a weak smile and scratched the back of his head, "I'm kind-of used to it by now…"

"That's not it!" Misao frowned at him, "It's just that she shouldn't do that to you or to other people… it's just too mean…"

"I guess it is… I don't really mind it though…" Kenshin said truthfully, "She's not that bad, really…"

Misao turned to him with a smile, "Of course I know that…" she nodded when he frowned, "I know that behind that tough, cold and mean exterior is just a girl who needs a friend." and then, she sighed, "I just don't like it when she keeps pushing people around or something like that."

"Maybe she is just scared," at Misao's shock expression, Kenshin shrugged, "Just an idea…"

Like all of those times, they walked together (minus Sano and Megumi, of course); and like those times, they separated until Kenshin was left alone to take the same route home that he takes everyday. He was silently humming to himself and was halfway to his house when he finally noticed the lone figure walking not too far from him.

"Kaoru-dono…" he called, just like all of those times.

"What?" she asked roughly without even looking back at him. Kenshin only sighed and watched her as they walked.

"Can I walk with you?"

She turned to give him that same bored look on her face, "It's not like you'd back out if I said 'no', is it?"

"Well…" Kenshin smiled as she only rolled her eyes. Kaoru blew her bangs and turned to stare right ahead.

They walked with the same odd silence in the atmosphere. Kenshin kept throwing quick glances at her direction when he thought that she wasn't looking, noting her slight frown and the thoughtful look on her face. _'I wonder what's going on her head…'_

The two soon reached the same park, sat on the same bench and waited with the same silence. Kenshin sighed and leaned back on the bench and stared up at the slowly darkening sky, counting the stars that was one-by-one appearing on the sky.

"Why are you doing this?" he was caught by surprise by her sudden question that he turned to give her a frown. He noted the sad look on her eyes as she met his gaze.

"Why are you being so nice?" she asked again, "Are you doing this just because you want it? Or are you doing this because of pity?"

Kenshin's eyes widened – _why would she ever think of that?_

"It must be the second option, isn't it?" Kaoru's audible sigh never escaped his ears as she looked down at her hands and continued, "Can't be the other one, can it? Why would someone WANT to be nice to me? When all I do is to hurt people, insult them – to be mean and nasty and—"

"Stop!" he suddenly said, cutting her off. "Don't say it…" he gave her a frown, staring at her as if she had grown a second head, "Whatever entered your mind to think like—"

"Wha—" she opened her mouth and glared at him, looking slightly affronted but the redhead only held up a hand to stop her.

"Whatever entered you head…" he smiled at her, "I'm doing this not because of pity or anything. I do this because –" he stared at her, made a really _bold_ move and grabbed her hand – taking in the look of utter surprise and confusion on her face as she met his gaze, "I do this because I want to get to know you more…"

"Why would you want that?" she frowned, pulling her hand away from his grasp. "What makes you think that I'd let you!"

Kenshin only smiled, watching with amusement as she inched away from him, "I can be really persistent if I want to."

Kaoru gave him one incredulous look, "Ha! You're not only one idiotic shirmphead but also a stubborn one!"

Kenshin looked rather proud than insulted.

XXX

The next day (Saturday), which only meant relaxation for other students meant household chores and errands for our redheaded protagonist. Early in the morning he was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast while his uncle was once again in his workshop working on some potteries for his client.

Kenshin was just finished with the last pancake when the phone rang. Thinking that it's another one of his uncle's clients, he sighed and picked it up.

"Hello…" he said in a rather lazy voice. When the person on the other line answered, his eyes went wide and his hand dropped the phone on his hand.

"Easy with the phone!" his uncle, to his relief was quick to catch the cordless phone before it hits the floor. Kenshin gave the older man a sheepish grin before snatching the phone from his uncle's hands.

"Baka deshi! You always have the tendency to break things up!" was the loud comment from his huge uncle.

"Oy! Shrimpy! What was that!" the person on the other line said in a very suspicious voice.

"Sorry…" he replied, scratching the back of his head, "What is it Kaoru-dono?" he quickly asked. Behind him, Seijurou Hiko, raised an eyebrow.

"Mou! You stupid shrimpheaded geek!" she said, rather yelled – very loud that Kenshin had to put the phone an arm length away to protect his eardrums from fatal damage.

"Oro? What did I do this time?" his face paled.

"Are you free?" Kaoru asked in a small voice. The redhead could hear a rather loud ruckus in her side of the line (_'What's that sister!' , 'I can come with you, little sister!' , 'Who's the git! I'll kill him!'_) and he sweatdropped.

"Oro?"

"I'm asking if you're free…" she asked again, sounding more annoyed than the situation warranted. The voices in the background became louder.

"Er… my uncle can always do the chores…" Kenshin said with a smile.

"Can you help Tsubame out, then?" she said quickly, the voices in the background faded and Kenshin fell on the floor. Scrambling back to his feet, he frowned.

"Er? Nani (What)?"

"I'm asking you if you could help Tsubame out at something." she repeated and this time, the voices in her side of the line disappeared.

Kenshin sighed and nodded – then, realizing that she could not see him, he said, "It's alright…"

He heard her sigh of relief as she said, "I guess I owe you one, then!"

"Er…" the redhead said before she could hang up, "Are you going to be there too?"

There was a long pause before she answered, "I don't know… I'll try…"

Kenshin sighed again, "Er… how can I—"

"All you have to do is to meet with her to the place that I'll give you," she said, "This is the address—"

XXX

He found the freshman, Sanjou Tsubame, standing near the lamp post as she waited for him. He was at her side in a blink of an eye, with the same kind smile on his face.

"Ohayo, Himura-san (Good Morning, Mr. Himura)!" she bowed at him and the redhead returned her bow. "I am so sorry to have disturbed you. It's just that Kamiya-san could not do it today and Yahiko-kun was busy with something…"

"It's alright." Kenshin nodded. "Shall we go now?"

"Hai!" Tsubame nodded.

"Er… if you don't mind me asking, I was wondering what is it that you have to do…"

"Kamiya-san failed to tell you?" she blinked. "Oh… I'm going to visit the orphanage…"

"Orphanage?" Kenshin blinked, "Er? What are you going to do in an orphanage?"

"We always go there every Saturday…" Tsubame smiled, "Me, Yahiko-kun and Kamiya-san… sometimes Otsu-kun and some of Kamiya-san's brothers…"

"Why?"

"It's just… er…" Tsubame bit her lower lip, "I don't know if I could tell you… Kamiya-san might get angry or something…"

"Oh…" Kenshin nodded his head, but he tried to hide his disappointment, "She's very secretive, isn't she?"

"She cares so much of that image of hers, that she does…" Tsubame sighed, almost sadly, "I can't understand why she does, though… I will never understand…"

"I see…"

"Anyway, the place is where I first met Kamiya-san…" Tsubame smiled, "I work there as a volunteer, you see?"

"That's very nice of you to do, that it is." Kenshin smiled at her, glad that the usually silent girl was starting to be more relaxed than before.

"There was this person anonymously giving toys or books in the orphanage, sometimes food… every Christmas it's a brand new dress and shoes. It's really great and the children were all really glad with this!" Tsubame smiled at Kenshin, "And guess who the anonymous donor was—"

Kenshin gaped at the implication of her words – _that can't be…_

Then Tsubame's eyes widened at the realization of what she had said, turning to her equally shocked redheaded companion, she bent her head down, "Please don't tell Kamiya-san that I told you…"

"It really was Kaoru?" Kenshin blinked, "She did that?"

"Up to now, yes…" Tsubame said shamefully, "Don't tell her, promise me! Nobody knew about this other than her family! Just me and Yahiko-kun!"

"The orphanage?"

"Kamiya-san made me swear not to tell…"

Kenshin stared right ahead, not really wanting to believe what he is just hearing. He hailed a cab and for some time, he was left for his thoughts.

_And all those times I thought that she was being…_

"Since I have told you that…" Tsubame said beside him, "I guess it wouldn't hurt if I tell you that I'm studying at school because of her as well…"

"You—?"

"She has done so much for me, you know… I am forever in debt of her." she sighed, "That's why I respect her above them all."

"Now I understand…" Kenshin smiled at her, "Thank you for sharing this with me… I think I'm starting to understand Kaoru more."

"I don't know…" Tsubame smiled back at him, "I just felt like I can trust you. Just like Kamiya-san does…"

"Kaoru? What?" he blinked.

"The mere fact that it was you she called to come with me," Tsubame smiled again. "Well…"

Kenshin never appreciated the beauty of the Tokyo this much before.

XXX

They had stopped by the mall to buy some 'gifts', as Tsubame called them, for the children before going straight to the orphanage on a cab. They were greeted by the kind volunteers in the orphanage when the two arrived. The happy faces of the children was enough to make Kenshin smile as they peered through an old oak door and eyed the huge bags and boxes of presents that were ready to be distributed. Soon, Kenshin and Tsubame were led to the main hall where the children were waiting – excitement and queer anticipation were evident on each childish faces.

"Where's your boyfriend, neechan?" a little girl asked, tugging at Tsubame's skirt. The freshman merely blushed and knelt beside the girl.

"Yahiko-nii is busy today…" she said, patting the little girl's head.

"Wow! Santa Claus!" one of the kids pointed at Kenshin's direction (he was currently carrying some of the bags, hence the childish conclusion).

"Oro?" the redhead blinked as three or so little boys ran gleefully to his direction. Turning weakly at the other volunteer's direction, he was surprised to find them all laughing.

"Now, now… don't give Ken-nii a headache…" one of the volunteers, a pretty lady with short brown hair said at the boys. "One by one, alright?"

"Hai!" was the loud chorus from the young audience.

Two, three hours – Kenshin has really lost track of time, as he distributed gifts to each and every children in the orphanage. Each happy faces, he felt instantly lighter – the exhaustion and tiredness, all forgotten as he watched the children happily comparing their gifts from one another.

The next part of the visit was story-telling. Tsubame, sat in the middle of the excited children as she read the story of 'Cinderella' to her young audience.

"Can you tell the our kind lady our deepest appreciation?" the same lady with short brown hair said, "It's just very disappointing that we can't thank her personally ourselves… Tell them the children were really grateful for her kindness."

"I will tell her that I will." Kenshin gave her a small smile and bowed.

The day soon ended and Kenshin waved the children goodbye before heading out of the establishment with Tsubame when someone called them.

"Oi!"

Kenshin looked up and found her standing beside a dark blue sedan. She gestured for them to join her.

"Kamiya-san! Konbanwa (Good evening)!" Tsubame bowed at her lady and Kaoru only rolled her eyes.

"Mou! How many times do I have to tell you that you don't need to do that!" she sighed and then turned to Kenshin, "I guess I owe this one, ne shrimpy?"

"Nah…" Kenshin smiled at her, "I had fun, really."

"Great!" Kaoru's lips twitched into what was an unmistakable smile, "How about dinner?" she clapped her hand and a man suddenly appeared and opened the car door. She gestured for Tsubame and Kenshin to follow as she hopped inside the car.

"Otsu! Akabeko!" Kaoru said once the three of them were seated at the back seat. The car soon sped up and Kaoru yawned.

"What have you been doing, if you don't mind me asking Kamiya-san?" Tsubame asked and Kenshin carefully listened.

"Oh!" Kaoru shrugged, "They set me up again to another idiot!"

Kenshin turned at her sharply and blinked, "A date, de gozaru?"

"You can call it that way…" she yawned again, "But my brothers would take care of him, eh?"

"The poor man was shaken to death, that he was…" the driver, Otsu, said in addition.

"That will make him a wimp!" Kaoru laughed, "A huge arrogant wimp!"

"Tae-san set you up again?" Tsubame asked, almost in an uncertain voice.

"Well, she always does…" Kaoru pouted, then as if only noticing Kenshin there, she lightly hit her forehead with her palm.

"Oh! Forgot!" she turned to Otsu, "Otsu, this is my classmate, Himura Kenshin – but I'd prefer if you'll call him shrimphead or shrimpy…" at that the redhead sheepishly grinned, "Oy, shrimpy, this is Otsu…"

"It is an honor to have met a friend of my lady's." was the response from the man behind the wheels.

"Mou! You don't have to be so polite, Otsu! It's just shrimpy!" Kaoru rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

"It's a pleasure meeting you too, sir." Kenshin bowed his head.

"They were looking for you…" Tsubame informed, "You should come with us one time, the children would really like it."

"Nah…" Kaoru rolled her eyes, "I don't help to be thanked. I help because I wa—" her eyes widened as she stared at Kenshin. "I… I mean… I…"

"It's alright…" Kenshin smiled at her, "I won't tell."

Kaoru only bit her lip and stared out of her window. She never said another word the whole journey to the 'Akabeko'. When they finally reached the famed restaurant, Tsubame excused herself to Kenshin and Kaoru and went straight to the servant's quarters to change into her uniform while an attendant led the two to their 'reserved' table.

"The usual, miss?" was the question of the attendant and Kaoru nodded as an answer.

"Er… Kaoru-dono, why are you so silent?" he asked as the attendant left.

"Is it a crime now?" was her sarcastic remark. "Mou! Aren't you going to laugh now!"

"Oro?"

"Don't 'oro' me, you idiot!" Kaoru frowned, "Isn't it a laughing matter! The school's biggest bully, an anonymous _Santa Claus_?"

"No." Kenshin shook his head and smiled, "I think that it's very nice of you to do."

She only gaped at wordlessly at him. Kenshin smiled wider as he watched her scramble for words.

"Mou! You're laughing at me!" she threw a table napkin at him and Kenshin reacted just in time to dodge it. So, she threw another one, and another –

"Gotcha!" she laughed as she finally made a hit and stopped when a something hit her face. When she looked up, she noted the sheepish grin on her companion's face.

"Mou! You-" she was about to throw another table napkin at him when somebody called her.

"Kaoru-chan?" a beautiful woman with long black hair wearing a simple black dress soon joined them. Giving Kaoru a small hug before turning to Kenshin, "You brought a friend?"

"He's my classmate," Kaoru said quickly as the lady took a seat. "He's Himura Kenshin." she turned to him and said, "This is Sekihara Tokio, an old friend of my dad's."

"Nice to meet you, Himura-san." the lady shook hands with him. "Man, my sister would surely love to meet you."

"Mou! Tae-san should stop pairing me off with some weird-o!" Kaoru pouted as she sank in her seat, "That one's bad news! He's surely going to get it from my brothers!"

"Well, my sister only wants the best for you," Tokio said this and patted Kaoru's cheek. The younger lady slightly blushed and pouted again. "I guess I'll leave you with your dashing boy friend here, my dear…" the lady stood up and bowed at Kenshin before taking her leave.

"Mou! He's not my boyfriend!" Kenshin watched with amusement as Kaoru pouted and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"Mou! You're loving this, aren't you?" she said as her eyes fell on him.

"Oro?"

"You must be thinking that I'm starting to become such a soft-y now, aren't you?" she pouted again and frowned at him, "Think again, weird-o!"

"No… It makes me like you more!" he blurted out and blushed as the implication of his words finally sink in. With his face burning, he stammered, "I mean, er… it's nothing like that… er… It's… er… I…"

Kaoru's face was slightly tinted with pink as well, as she watched the play of emotion on his face mutely.

"It makes me… er… like you more as a friend, hehe…" the redhead hastily finished, fanning his face with his hand. Kaoru merely _oh-_ed and nodded her head, though he noted how her shoulders suddenly slumped.

Their meal soon came and in silence they ate – the atmosphere becoming more tensed than earlier. And at last, the night ended. After saying her goodbye to Tokio, Kaoru joined Kenshin back to the car where they soon found their way home.

"Otsu… can you stop right there…" Kaoru said as they soon reached Kenshin's house – before he even realized it. She turned to her classmate and gave him a small smile.

"That's your stop." she said in a barely audile voice.

"Thanks for the ride." the redhead said awkwardly, and turned to nod at Otsu. He sighed and moved to step out of the car. He stood out and stared as the car door was shut close. With a sigh, he turned to enter his house.

"Hey, K-Kenshin!" was her unmistakable voice, which caught him by surprise. He turned back to see the car windows rolled down and Kaoru with that _smile_ on her face.

"Thanks!" she said quickly before the window was slowly rolled up and her pretty face was soon replaced by his own reflection on the window of her car.

"Goodnight…" he sighed as he watched the speeding car.

'_Hey… she called me by my name… no silly nicknames. Just my plain name…'_ feeling weightless and with a happy smile on his face, he went inside his house.

To be continued…


End file.
